Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ROIL, v.t. [This is the Arm. brella, Fr. brouiller, embrouiller, It. brogliare, imbrogliare, Sp. embrollar, Port. embrulhar; primarily to turn or stir, to make intricate, to twist, wrap, involve, hence to mix, confound, perplex, whence Eng. broil, Fr. brouillard, mist, fog. In English, the prefix or first letter is lost.]

1. To render turbid by stirring up the dregs or sediment; as, to roil wine, cider or other liquor in casks or bottles.
2. To excite some degree of anger; to disturb the passion of resentment. [These senses are in common use in New England, and locally in England.]
3. To perplex. [Local in England.]