drill 1
(drĭl)n.1. a. An implement with cutting edges or a pointed end for boring holes in hard materials, usually by a rotating abrasion or repeated blows; a bit.
b. The hand-operated or hand-powered holder for this implement.
c. A loud, harsh noise made by or as if by a powered tool of this kind.
2. a. Disciplined, repetitious exercise as a means of teaching and perfecting a skill or procedure.
b. A task or exercise for teaching a skill or procedure by repetition: conducted an air-raid drill; a drill for learning the multiplication tables.
3. The training of soldiers in marching and the manual of arms.
4. Any of various marine gastropod mollusks, chiefly of the genus Urosalpinx, that bore holes into the shells of bivalve mollusks. U. cinera is destructive to oysters.
v. drilled, drill·ing, drills
v.tr.1. a. To make a hole in (a hard material) with a drill: a bit for drilling masonry.
b. To make (a hole) with or as if with a drill: drills holes in trees with its chisellike bill.
2. To strike or hit sharply: The batter drilled a single through the infield.
3. a. To instruct thoroughly by repetition in a skill or procedure: drill pupils in grammar.
b. To infuse knowledge of or skill in by repetitious instruction:
drilled the correct spellings into the students' heads. See Synonyms at
teach.
4. To train (soldiers) in marching and the manual of arms.
v.intr.1. To make a hole with or as if with a drill.
2. To perform a training exercise.
Phrasal Verb: drill down To view data or other information at a more detailed level: business software that allows users to drill down from annual to monthly sales figures.
drill′er n.
drill 2
(drĭl)n.1. A shallow trench or furrow in which seeds are planted.
2. A row of planted seeds.
3. A machine or implement for planting seeds in holes or furrows.
tr.v. drilled,
drill·ing,
drills 1. To sow (seeds) in rows.
2. To plant (a field) in drills.
[Perhaps from drill, rill, from Middle English drille, sip.]
drill 3
(drĭl)n. Durable cotton or linen twill of varying weights, generally used for work clothes.
[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; see trellis.]
drill 4
(drĭl)n. A large monkey (Mandrillus leucophaeus) of west-central African forests, having an olive brown body and a brightly colored face and resembling the mandrill.
[Possibly of West African origin.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
drill
(drɪl) n1. (Tools) a rotating tool that is inserted into a drilling machine or tool for boring cylindrical holes
2. (Tools) a hand tool, either manually or electrically operated, for drilling holes
3. (Military)
military a. training in procedures or movements, as for ceremonial parades or the use of weapons
b. (as modifier): drill hall.
4. (Education) strict and often repetitious training or exercises used as a method of teaching
5. informal correct procedure or routine
6. (Animals) a marine gastropod mollusc, Urosalpinx cinera, closely related to the whelk, that preys on oysters
vb7. (Tools) to pierce, bore, or cut (a hole) in (material) with or as if with a drill: to drill a hole; to drill metal.
8. (Military) to instruct or be instructed in military procedures or movements
9. (Education) (tr) to teach by rigorous exercises or training
10. (General Sporting Terms) (tr) informal to hit (a ball) in a straight line at great speed
11. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) (tr) informal to riddle with bullets
[C17: from Middle Dutch drillen; related to Old High German drāen to turn]
ˈdrillable adj
ˈdriller n
drill
(drɪl) n1. (Agriculture) a machine for planting seeds in rows or depositing fertilizer
2. (Horticulture) a small furrow in which seeds are sown
3. (Agriculture) a row of seeds planted using a drill
vb (Agriculture) to plant (seeds) by means of a drill
[C18: of uncertain origin; compare German Rille furrow]
ˈdriller n
drill
(drɪl) or drilling
n (Textiles) a hard-wearing twill-weave cotton cloth, used for uniforms, etc
[C18: variant of German Drillich, from Latin trilīx, from tri- + līcium thread]
drill
(drɪl) n (Animals) an Old World monkey, Mandrillus leucophaeus, of W Africa, related to the mandrill but smaller and less brightly coloured
[C17: from a West African word; compare mandrill]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
drill1
(drɪl)
n. 1. a. a shaftlike tool with two or more cutting edges for making holes in firm materials, esp. by rotation.
b. a tool, esp. a hand tool, for holding and operating such a tool.
2. Mil. a. training in formal marching or other precise military or naval movements.
b. an exercise in such training.
3. a. any practice or exercise in marching.
b. any strict, methodical, repetitive, or mechanical training, instruction, or exercise: a spelling drill.
4. the correct or customary manner of proceeding.
5. a gastropod mollusk, Urosalpinx cinera, that bores holes in bivalves.
v.t. 6. to pierce or bore a hole in (something); penetrate or excavate with a drill.
7. to make (a hole) by boring.
8. a. to instruct and exercise (military trainees) in formation marching, in the carrying and handling of arms, etc.
b. to train or rehearse (any group) in formation marching.
9. to impart (knowledge) by strict discipline or repetition.
10. to train or rehearse (a person or group) in a subject, discipline, etc., by guided repetition, quizzing, and other techniques.
v.i. 11. to pierce, bore, or excavate something with or as if with a drill.
12. to penetrate deeply beneath the ground or the sea floor with specialized machinery to search for deposits or reservoirs of a natural substance: to drill for oil.
13. to go through exercise in military or other training.
[1605–15; < Dutch dril (n.), drillen (v.)]
drill′er, n.
drill2
(drɪl)
n. 1. a small furrow made in the soil in which to sow seeds.
2. a row of seeds or plants thus sown.
3. a machine for sowing in rows and for covering the seeds when sown.
v.t. 4. to sow (seed) in drills.
5. to sow or plant (soil, a plot of ground, etc.) in drills.
v.i. 6. to sow seed in drills.
[1720–30; of uncertain orig.]
drill3
(drɪl)
n. a strong twilled cotton fabric.
drill4
(drɪl)
n. a large baboon, Mandrillus leucophaeus, of W Africa, smaller and less brightly colored than the closely related mandrill.
[1635–45; of obscure orig.; compare
mandrill]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.