Whiteisms
The Archive

Etymology Journal · L

Let's rock and roll

Meaning

This is an enthusiastic call to action, signaling that it is time to start a project or head out the door. It implies that energy and movement are required immediately.

Energetic, upbeat

Used in a sentence

  • The van is packed and the kids are buckled, so let us rock and roll.
  • We have all the supplies we need for the garage sale, so let us rock and roll.
  • The guests are arriving in ten minutes, so let us rock and roll on those appetizers.

The backstory

While it later became synonymous with the musical genre, the phrase was used in the early 20th century to describe the rhythmic motion of ships or even religious revival meetings. It evolved into a general term for getting things moving.

Heard in

Nationwide

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