9  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Drilled};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Drilling}.]  [D.  drillen  to  bore,  drill  (soldiers);  probably 
  akin  to  AS  pyrlian  pyrelian  to  pierce.  See  {Thrill}.] 
  1.  To  pierce  or  bore  with  a  drill,  or  a  with  a  drill;  to 
  perforate;  as  to  drill  a  hole  into  a  rock;  to  drill  a 
  piece  of  metal. 
 
  2.  To  train  in  the  military  art;  to  exercise  diligently,  as 
  soldiers,  in  military  evolutions  and  exercises;  hence  to 
  instruct  thoroughly  in  the  rudiments  of  any  art  or  branch 
  of  knowledge;  to  discipline. 
 
  He  [Frederic  the  Great]  drilled  his  people,  as  he 
  drilled  his  grenadiers.  --  Macaulay. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  v.  t.  [Cf.  {Trill}  to  trickle,  {Trickle}, 
  {Dribble},  and  W.  rhillio  to  put  in  a  row,  drill.] 
  1.  To  cause  to  flow  in  drills  or  rills  or  by  trickling;  to 
  drain  by  trickling;  as  waters  drilled  through  a  sandy 
  stratum.  [R.]  --Thomson. 
 
  2.  To  sow,  as  seeds,  by  dribbling  them  along  a  furrow  or  in  a 
  row,  like  a  trickling  rill  of  water. 
 
  3.  To  entice;  to  allure  from  step;  to  decoy;  --  with  on 
  [Obs.] 
 
  See  drilled  him  on  to  five-fifty.  --  Addison. 
 
  4.  To  cause  to  slip  or  waste  away  by  degrees.  [Obs.] 
 
  This  accident  hath  drilled  away  the  whole  summer.  -- 
  Swift. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  v.  i. 
  To  practice  an  exercise  or  exercises;  to  train  one's  self 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  n. 
  1.  An  instrument  with  an  edged  or  pointed  end  used  for  making 
  holes  in  hard  substances;  strictly,  a  tool  that  cuts  with 
  its  end  by  revolving,  as  in  drilling  metals,  or  by  a 
  succession  of  blows,  as  in  drilling  stone;  also  a  drill 
  press. 
 
  2.  (Mil.)  The  act  or  exercise  of  training  soldiers  in  the 
  military  art,  as  in  the  manual  of  arms,  in  the  execution 
  of  evolutions,  and  the  like  hence  diligent  and  strict 
  instruction  and  exercise  in  the  rudiments  and  methods  of 
  any  business;  a  kind  or  method  of  military  exercises;  as 
  infantry  drill;  battalion  drill;  artillery  drill. 
 
  3.  Any  exercise,  physical  or  mental,  enforced  with  regularity 
  and  by  constant  repetition;  as  a  severe  drill  in  Latin 
  grammar. 
 
  4.  (Zo["o]l.)  A  marine  gastropod,  of  several  species,  which 
  kills  oysters  and  other  bivalves  by  drilling  holes  through 
  the  shell.  The  most  destructive  kind  is  {Urosalpinx 
  cinerea}. 
 
  {Bow  drill},  {Breast  drill}.  See  under  {Bow},  {Breast}. 
 
  {Cotter  drill},  or  {Traverse  drill},  a  machine  tool  for 
  drilling  slots. 
 
  {Diamond  drill}.  See  under  {Diamond}. 
 
  {Drill  jig}.  See  under  {Jig}. 
 
  {Drill  pin},  the  pin  in  a  lock  which  enters  the  hollow  stem 
  of  the  key. 
 
  {Drill  sergeant}  (Mil.),  a  noncommissioned  officer  whose 
  office  it  is  to  instruct  soldiers  as  to  their  duties,  and 
  to  train  them  to  military  exercises  and  evolutions. 
 
  {Vertical  drill},  a  drill  press. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  n.  [Cf.  {Mandrill}.]  (Zo["o]l.) 
  A  large  African  baboon  ({Cynocephalus  leucoph[ae]us}). 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  trickle.  [Obs.  or  R.]  --Sandys. 
 
  2.  To  sow  in  drills. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  n. 
  1.  A  small  trickling  stream;  a  rill.  [Obs.] 
 
  Springs  through  the  pleasant  meadows  pour  their 
  drills.  --Sandys. 
 
  2.  (Agr.) 
  a  An  implement  for  making  holes  for  sowing  seed,  and 
  sometimes  so  formed  as  to  contain  seeds  and  drop  them 
  into  the  hole  made 
  b  A  light  furrow  or  channel  made  to  put  seed  into 
  sowing. 
  c  A  row  of  seed  sown  in  a  furrow. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Drill  \Drill\,  n.  [Usually  in  pl.]  (Manuf.) 
  Same  as  {Drilling}. 
 
  {Imperial  drill},  a  linen  fabric  having  two  threads  in  the 
  warp  and  three  in  the  filling. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  drill 
  n  1:  a  rotating  drill  powered  by  an  electric  motor  [syn:  {electric 
  drill}] 
  2:  a  tool  with  a  sharp  point  and  cutting  edges  for  making  holes 
  in  hard  materials  (usually  rotating  rapidly  or  by  repeated 
  blows) 
  3:  similar  to  the  mandrill  but  smaller  and  less  brightly 
  colored  [syn:  {Mandrillus  leucophaeus}] 
  4:  training  in  marching  and  the  use  of  weapons  [syn:  {military 
  drill}] 
  5:  systematic  training  by  multiple  repetitions;  "practice  makes 
  perfect"  [syn:  {exercise},  {practice},  {practice  session}] 
  v  1:  drill  a  hole  into  [syn:  {bore}] 
  2:  train  in  the  military,  e.g.,  in  the  use  of  weapons 
  3:  learn  by  repetition  [syn:  {exercise},  {practice},  {practise}] 
  4:  teach  by  repetition 
  5:  undergo  military  training  or  do  military  exercises 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words