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⇱ drill - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

drill

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈdrɪl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/drɪl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(dril)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
drill1 /drɪl/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. Building, Mechanical Engineering a tool with a cutting edge for making holes in firm materials, esp. by rotation:[countable]an electric drill.
  2. Military[uncountable]training in marching or other movements.
    • [countable] any practice or exercise, esp. for emergencies:During the fire drill we all marched outside.
    • any repetitive or mechanical training or exercise: [countable]a spelling drill.[uncountable]Latin lessons should be less drill and more fun.
  4. the correct or customary manner of proceeding:[countable]figuring out the family's drill for dinner.

v. 
  1. to pierce or bore a hole in (something) with a drill:[~ + object]The dentist drilled the cavity and filled it.
  2. to make (a hole) by penetrating or boring: [~ + object]The dentist drilled a hole in the tooth.[~ + into + object]The dentist drilled into my tooth and cleaned out the cavity.
  3. to penetrate deeply beneath the earth to search for deposits of a natural substance:[no object]drilling offshore for oil.
  4. to instruct and exercise (military trainees) in marching, etc.: [~ + object]The sergeant had drilled the men in his company well.[no object]The men had drilled all day and wanted a rest.
  5. to teach by strict repetition:[~ + object]The teacher drilled grammar and the multiplication tables every day.
  6. to train or rehearse (a person) in a discipline, etc., by guided repetition:[~ + object]The teacher drilled her students in the multiplication tables.
drill•er, n. [countable]

drill2 /drɪl/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. a machine for sowing in rows and for covering the seeds when sown.
  2. Agriculturea row of seeds or plants sown this way.

drill3 /drɪl/USA pronunciation   n. [uncountable]
  1. Textilesa strong twilled fabric.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
drill1  (dril),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Building, Mechanical Engineering[Mach., Building Trades.]
    • a shaftlike tool with two or more cutting edges for making holes in firm materials, esp. by rotation.
    • a tool, esp. a hand tool, for holding and operating such a tool.
  2. Military
    • training in formal marching or other precise military or naval movements.
    • an exercise in such training:gun drill.
  3. any strict, methodical, repetitive, or mechanical training, instruction, or exercise:a spelling drill.
  4. the correct or customary manner of proceeding.
  5. Invertebratesa gastropod, Urosalpinx cinera, that bores holes in shellfish, as oysters.

v.t. 
  1. to pierce or bore a hole in (something).
  2. to make (a hole) by boring.
  3. Militaryto instruct and exercise in formation marching and movement, in the carrying of arms during formal marching, and in the formal handling of arms for ceremonies and guard work.
  4. to impart (knowledge) by strict training, discipline, or repetition.

v.i. 
  1. Buildingto pierce or bore something with or as with a drill.
  2. to go through exercise in military or other training.
  • Dutch dril (noun, nominal), drillen (verb, verbal)
  • 1605–15
drill′a•ble, adj. 
drill′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
drill′er, n. 
    3. See exercise. 
drill2  (dril),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Agriculturea small furrow made in the soil in which to sow seeds.
  2. Agriculturea row of seeds or plants thus sown.
  3. a machine for sowing in rows and for covering the seeds when sown.

v.t. 
  1. Agricultureto sow (seed) in drills.
  2. Agricultureto sow or plant (soil, a plot of ground, etc.) in drills.

v.i. 
  1. Agricultureto sow seed in drills.
  • compare drill rill, German Rille furrow, rillen to groove 1720–30
drill′er, n. 

drill3  (dril),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Textilesa strong, twilled cotton fabric.
  • short for drilling2 1735–45

drill4  (dril),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Mammalsa large, baboonlike monkey, Mandrillus leucophaeus, of western Africa, similar to the related mandrill but smaller and less brightly colored: now endangered.
  • 1635–45; of obscure origin, originally; compare mandrill

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
drill /drɪl/ n
  1. a rotating tool that is inserted into a drilling machine or tool for boring cylindrical holes
  2. a hand tool, either manually or electrically operated, for drilling holes
    • training in procedures or movements, as for ceremonial parades or the use of weapons
    • (as modifier): drill hall
  4. strict and often repetitious training or exercises used as a method of teaching
  5. informal correct procedure or routine
  6. a marine gastropod mollusc, Urosalpinx cinera, closely related to the whelk, that preys on oysters
  7. a style of rap music characterized by graphic lyrics about violent crime
 vb
  1. to pierce, bore, or cut (a hole) in (material) with or as if with a drill: to drill a hole, to drill metal
  2. to instruct or be instructed in military procedures or movements
  3. (transitive) to teach by rigorous exercises or training
  4. (transitive) informal to hit (a ball) in a straight line at great speed
  5. (transitive) informal to riddle with bullets
Etymology: 17th Century: from Middle Dutch drillen; related to Old High German drāen to turn
ˈdriller n
drill /drɪl/ n
  • a machine for planting seeds in rows or depositing fertilizer
  • a small furrow in which seeds are sown
  • a row of seeds planted using a drill
    •  vb
    1. to plant (seeds) by means of a drill
    Etymology: 18th Century: of uncertain origin; compare German Rille furrowˈdriller n
    drill /drɪl/, drilling /ˈdrɪlɪŋ/ n
    1. a hard-wearing twill-weave cotton cloth, used for uniforms, etc
    Etymology: 18th Century: variant of German Drillich, from Latin trilīx, from tri- + līcium thread
    drill /drɪl/ n
    1. an Old World monkey, Mandrillus leucophaeus, of W Africa, related to the mandrill but smaller and less brightly coloured
    Etymology: 17th Century: from a West African word; compare mandrill
    'drill' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
    Collocations: a [pneumatic, hand-held, concrete] drill, use a drill to make holes (in), use a drill to [break, dig, split], more...

    🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "drill" in the title:

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    Look up "drill" at Merriam-Webster
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