drill

1 of 6

verb (1)

ˈdril 

drilled; drilling; drills

transitive verb

1

a

: to fix something in the mind or habit pattern of by repetitive instruction

drill pupils in spelling

b

: to impart or communicate by repetition

c

: to train or exercise in military drill

2

a(1)

: to bore or drive a hole in

(2)

: to make by piercing action

drill a hole

b

: to shoot with or as if with a gun

c(1)

: to propel (something, such as a ball) with force or accuracy

drilled a single to right field

(2)

: to hit with force

drilled the batter with the first pitch

intransitive verb

1

: to make a hole with a drill

2

: to engage in an exercise

drillability

ˌdri-lə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

drillable

ˈdri-lə-bəl 

adjective

driller

ˈdri-lər 

noun

drill

2 of 6

noun (1)

1

: an instrument with an edged or pointed end for making holes in hard substances by revolving or by a succession of blows

also : a machine for operating such an instrument

2

: the act or exercise of training soldiers in marching and in executing prescribed movements with a weapon

3

a

: a physical or mental exercise aimed at perfecting facility and skill especially by regular practice

b

: a formal exercise by a team of marchers

c

: the approved, correct, or usual procedure for accomplishing something : routine

4

a

: a marine snail (Urosalpinx cinerea) destructive to oysters by boring through their shells and feeding on the soft parts

b

: any of several mollusks related to the drill

5

: a drilling sound

drill

3 of 6

noun (2)

: a western African baboon (Mandrillus leucophaeus synonym Papio leucophaeus) having a black face and brown coat and closely related to the mandrill

drill

4 of 6

noun (3)

1

a

: a shallow furrow or trench into which seed is sown

b

: a row of seed sown in such a furrow

2

: a planting implement that makes holes or furrows, drops in the seed and sometimes fertilizer, and covers them with earth

drill

5 of 6

verb (2)

drilled; drilling; drills

transitive verb

1

: to sow (seeds) by dropping along a shallow furrow

2

a

: to sow with seed or set with seedlings inserted in drills

b

: to distribute seed or fertilizer in by means of a drill

drill

6 of 6

noun (4)

: a durable cotton twilled fabric

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• bore
• hole
• perforate
• pierce
• punch
• puncture
• riddle

Noun (1)

• grind
• groove
• lockstep
• pattern
• rote
• routine
• rut
• treadmill

Verb (2)

• plant
• put in
• seed
• sow

Examples of drill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

To obtain the copper ore, Resolution will use a method known as block cave mining, in which tunnels are drilled beneath the ore body, and then collapsed, leaving the ore to be moved to a crushing facility. —The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024

The higher bonding requirement is intended to ensure that energy companies meet their obligations to clean up drilling sites after they are finished drilling or cap wells that are abandoned. —Matthew Daly, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024

The government estimates that the new rules, which would also raise various other rates and fees for drilling on public lands, would increase costs for fossil fuel companies by about $1.5 billion between now and 2031. —Coral Davenport, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024

And when Bones Hyland drilled a three-pointer less than four minutes into the second period, the Clippers’ led 51-14, the 37-point advantage marking the team’s largest on the road this season. —Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

Then Curry froze after drilling a contested 28-footer. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024

Gunfire erupted from inside the home after the court employees knocked and a contractor drilled out a lock on the front door, and Mack was struck. —Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2024

The company plans to begin field demonstrations this autumn, using a prototype device to drill holes in hard rock at a site in Marble Falls, Tex. —IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2024

The Lakers were almost made to pay for their porous defense, as the Pacers came back from 19 points down to cut the lead to only three when All-Star Tyrese Haliburton drilled two triples inside the final 30 seconds of the game. —Sam Joseph, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024

Noun

If, for example, China decides to make a move in the Taiwan Strait, Russia could simultaneously stage a provocative large-scale military drill in Europe, helping China by straining U.S. capacities to respond. —Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024

The kids, five and seven, constantly do drills to practice how to stay safe if there's a rocket attack or militants besiege their school. —USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024

Gossett portrayed Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, a drill instructor who served over Gere’s character Zack Mayo in the 1982 film. —Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024

Maye offers words of encouragement and affirmative nods of acknowledgment as his various teammates complete their drills. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024

Burrow sees Venture use that drill to move underground, becoming invulnerable in the process. —Kris Holt, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

The defensive units won all but one of the situational segments at the end of practice -- two-minute drills and get-the-ball-back periods -- as the second offense converted a first down and ran the clock almost to nothing in closing out the team drills. —Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 27 Mar. 2024

In the basement, old cabinets line the walls, filled with every type of brass fastener in the English imperial system as well as drills, bolts and screws in every size. —Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024

In states prone to tornadoes, hail, or flash floods, Severe Weather Awareness Week is commemorated with days dedicated to sirens and drills, aimed at safeguarding both property and lives. —Madeline Nguyen, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Dutch drillen

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

perhaps from drill small stream, from obsolete drill to trickle, drip

Noun (4)

short for drilling

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1619, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1644, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

circa 1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (4)

1743, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing drill

• breast drill
• drill down
• fire drill
• drill press
• drill sergeant
• know the drill
• pneumatic drill
• drill team
• twist drill
• drill into
• oyster drill
• pre-drill

Kids Definition

drill

1 of 5 noun

ˈdril 

1

: a tool for making holes in hard substances

2

: the training of soldiers in military skill and discipline

3

: a physical or mental exercise regularly practiced

4

: a marine snail that bores through oyster shells and feeds on the soft parts

drill

2 of 5 verb

1

: to instruct or train by repetition

drill a child in multiplication

drill troops

2

: to bore or make a hole in with or as if with a drill

drill a tooth

drill a hole

driller noun

drill

3 of 5 noun

1

: a shallow furrow or trench into which seed is sown

2

: a planting machine that makes holes or furrows, drops in seed, and covers it with earth

drill

4 of 5 verb

: to sow with or as if with a drill

drill

5 of 5 noun

: a strong cotton fabric in twill weave

Etymology

Noun

probably from Dutch dril "a tool for drilling holes," derived from early Dutch drillen (verb) "to drill"

Noun

perhaps from earlier drill "a trickling stream"

Noun

shortened from drilling "heavy cotton fabric," from German Drillich (same meaning)

Medical Definition

drill

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈdril 

: to make a hole in with a drill

the dentist drilled the tooth for a filling

intransitive verb

: to make a hole with a drill

painless dental drilling

drill

2 of 2 noun

: an instrument with an edged or pointed end for making holes in hard substances (as bones or teeth) by revolving