Drill Definition

drĭl
drilled, drilling, drills
noun
drills
A tool or apparatus for boring holes in wood, metal, stone, teeth, etc.
Webster's New World
The sound of drilling or boring.
Webster's New World
The hand-operated or hand-powered holder for this implement.
American Heritage
A loud, harsh noise made by or as if by a powered tool of this kind.
American Heritage
Disciplined, repetitious exercise as a means of teaching and perfecting a skill or procedure.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
verb
drilled, drilling, drills
To make a hole in (a hard material) with a drill.
A bit for drilling masonry.
American Heritage
To bore (a hole) in (something) with or as with a drill.
Webster's New World
To engage in, or be put through, military, physical, or mental exercises.
Webster's New World
To bore a hole or holes.
Webster's New World
To instruct thoroughly by repetition in a skill or procedure.
Drill pupils in grammar.
American Heritage

Other Word Forms of Drill

Noun

Singular:
drill
Plural:
drills

Origin of Drill

  • Short for drilling alteration of German Drillich from Middle High German drilich threefold, fabric woven with three threads from Old High German drilīh alteration (influenced by drī three,) (-līh adj. suff.) of Latin trilīx triple-twilled trellis

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Obsolete Dutch dril from drillen to bore from Middle Dutch drillen terə-1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Obsolete Dutch dril from drillen to bore from Middle Dutch drillen terə-1 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Perhaps from drill rill from Middle English drille sip

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle Dutch drillen (“bore, move in a circle”)

    From Wiktionary

  • Probably of African origin; compare mandrill.

    From Wiktionary

  • Possibly of West African origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Abbreviation of drilling.

    From Wiktionary

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