Roil
/rɔɪl/noun
To make a liquid muddy or turbulent; to disturb or irritate.
Did you know?Roil is an early modern spelling variant of roll, and its sense of “stir up trouble” grew from the physical image of churning liquid into mental and emotional agitation.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hrēolian
“to whirl, roll, or turn about”
Middle English
ME
roilen
“to roll about, toss, or stir up”
16th Century
English
roile/roil
“to make turbid by stirring; to agitate”
Modern English
English
roil
“to make a liquid muddy or to disturb emotionally”