: 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
That would be — drum roll, please — Post Malone, a personal fave.—Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Mayer contributes to the song on guitar, Pino Palladino on bass and Foo Fighters legend Dave Grohl steps behind the drums, giving the song its classic sound.—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Since drumming in a college band, the 64-year-old politician has remained a fan of groups like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025 The video shows Gilbert and his mother Shirley Gilbert, a retired teacher and alumna of the district, dancing at 11 schools across the city as students from James Madison and Riverside high schools drum the catchy rhythm in the background.—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 10 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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