drill1

 
Pronunciation: /drɪl/

noun

  • 1a tool or machine with a rotating cutting tip or reciprocating hammer or chisel, used for making holes.
  • a tool with a rotating tip used by a dentist for cutting away part of a tooth before filling it.
  • 2 [mass noun] instruction or training in military exercises: parade-ground drill
  • intensive instruction or training in something, typically by means of repeated exercises: tables can be mastered by drill and practice [count noun]: language-learning drills
  • [count noun] a rehearsal of the procedure to be followed in an emergency: air-raid drills
  • (the drill) informal the correct or recognized procedure or way of doing something: he didn’t know the drill
  • 3a predatory mollusc that bores into the shells of other molluscs in order to feed on the soft tissue.
    • Family Muricidae, class Gastropoda: several genera and species, in particular the American oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea), which is a serious pest of oyster beds

verb

[with object]
  • 1produce (a hole) in something by or as if by boring with a drill: drill holes through the tiles for the masonry pins
  • make a hole in (something) by boring with a drill: a power tool for drilling wood
  • [no object, with adverbial of direction] make a hole in or through something by using a drill: do not attempt to drill through a joist figurative his eyes drilled into her
  • [no object] sink a borehole in order to obtain oil or water: BP has been licensed to drill for oil in the area (as noun drilling) drilling should begin next year
  • (of a dentist) cut away part of (a tooth) before filling it: I didn’t like having my teeth drilled, but extractions were worse
  • [with object and adverbial of direction] informal (of a sports player) hit (a shot) hard and in a straight line: he drilled a right-foot volley into the back of the net
  • 2subject (someone) to military training exercises: a sergeant was drilling new recruits
  • [no object] (of a person) take part in military training exercises: the troops were drilling
  • instruct (someone) in something by the means of repeated exercises or practice: I reacted instinctively because I had been drilled to do just that
  • (drill something into) cause (someone) to learn something by repeating it regularly: his mother had drilled into him the need to pay for one’s sins

Phrasal Verbs

drill down

Computing access data which is in a lower level of a hierarchically structured database: just click on a button and drill down until you find the level of detail you require [as modifier]: a drill-down menu of topics

Derivatives

driller

noun

Origin:

early 17th century: from Middle Dutch drillen 'bore, turn in a circle'