rolling stone


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rolling stone

A person who wanders or travels often and at length, without settling down for any significant period of time. Based on the proverb "a rolling stone gathers no moss." I never knew my father very well. He became a bit of a rolling stone after my sister was born, so he'd only ever hang around for a week or two at a time.
See also: roll, stone
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

rolling stone

A person who moves about a great deal and never settles down, as in Kate's lived in ten cities in as many years-she's a real rolling stone. This expression is a shortening of the proverb a rolling stone gathers no moss, first recorded in 1523, which indicates that one who never settles anywhere will not do well. After some 300 years of this interpretation, in the mid-1800s the value of gathering moss (and staying put) began to be questioned, and in current usage the term is most often used without any particular value judgment.
See also: roll, stone
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

a rolling stone

a person who does not settle in one place for long.
This expression comes from the proverb a rolling stone gathers no moss , meaning that a person who is always moving on will not accumulate wealth or status, or responsibilities or commitments.
See also: roll, stone
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

a rolling ˈstone (gathers no ˈmoss)

(saying) a person who moves from place to place, job to job, etc. and so does not have a lot of money, possessions or friends but is free from responsibilities
See also: roll, stone
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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