E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Roly-poly (pron. rowl-y powl-y).
A crust with jam rolled up into a pudding; a little fat child. Roly is a thing rolled with the diminutive added. In some parts of Scotland the game of nine-pins is called rouly-pouly.
