rollaways

Meanings

1. 1nounusually plural

   Beds with wheels that can be folded and moved easily, often kept by hotels for extra guests.

   Grammar: Usually plural; it normally appears as a modifier before "beds": the hotel sent up two rollaways.

   Patterns

   • rollaway beds
   • ask for a rollaway
   • a rollaway for an extra guest

   The hotel brought in two rollaways when our friends decided to stay.

   We asked for a rollaway so our son could sleep in our room.

   The rollaways were stored in a closet down the hall.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Describing a bed or similar piece of furniture that has wheels and can be rolled away when not needed.

   Grammar: Used only before a noun, as in "a rollaway bed"; it is not used after a verb.

   Patterns

   • a rollaway bed
   • a rollaway cot

   They set up a rollaway bed beside the window.

   A rollaway cot is handy when guests arrive without warning.

Word forms

Common combinations

a rollaway bed

The front desk arranged a rollaway bed for the children.

request a rollaway

She requested a rollaway when she booked the room.

fold up a rollaway

In the morning we folded up the rollaway and pushed it into the corner.

a rollaway cot

The cabin had a rollaway cot stored under the main bed.

Synonyms and how they differ

cot

In American English a cot is a simple lightweight bed, often without wheels; a rollaway always has wheels and folds.

trundle bed

A trundle bed slides out from under another bed rather than being rolled in from elsewhere.

camp bed

Camp bed is the usual British term for a light folding bed, but it does not necessarily have wheels.

Word family

rollaway noun

The singular form, used mainly before another noun, as in a rollaway bed.

roll verb

To move something by turning it over and over or by pushing it on wheels.

Commonly confused: rollaways or rollaway?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “rollaways”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words