: a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow shell or cylinder with a drumhead stretched over one or both ends that is beaten with the hands or with some implement (such as a stick or wire brush)
Noun (1)
an oil drumVerb
She drummed while he played the guitar.
Her fingers drummed nervously on the table.
He was nervously drumming a pencil on the desk.
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Noun
His playing has now come to be an omen of danger, so visitors who hear drums playing should be wary.—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025 The music that played during sunset dinners carried the same polyrhythms as the drum circles at homecoming.—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
Another is a headless drummer, who was seen drumming around 1650 before the castle was attacked by Oliver Cromwell.—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025 In a rare rock swap, Freese then returned to his old seat drumming for NIN.—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drum
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
probably from Dutch trom; akin to Middle High German trumme drum
Noun (2)
Scottish Gaelic druim back, ridge, from Old Irish druimm
: a musical percussion instrument consisting of a hollow cylinder with a thin layer of material (as animal skin or plastic) stretched over one or both ends that is beaten with a stick or with the hands
2
: the sound of a drum
also: a similar sound
3
: a drum-shaped object: as
a
: a cylindrical mechanical device or part
b
: a cylindrical container
oil drums
c
: a disk-shaped ammunition container that may be attached to a firearm
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