drum

drum¹ [drʌm] n

[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably from Dutch trom]

1.) a musical instrument made of skin stretched over a circular frame, played by hitting it with your hand or a stick

▪ a big bass drum

▪ 1000 people marched, beating drums and carrying flags.

on drums

▪ Trumpeter Red Rodney was playing with Kenny Clarke on drums (=playing the drums) .

▪ Jones played the drums in an all-girl band.

2.) a large round container for storing liquids such as oil, chemicals etc

▪ a 5 gallon oil drum

3.) something that looks like a drum, especially part of a machine

▪ a brake drum

4.) bang/beat the drum for sb/sth

to speak eagerly in support of someone or something

▪ The company is banging the drum for their new software.

5.) the drum of sth

a sound like the sound a drum makes

▪ the steady drum of the rain on the window

→↑eardrum

drum ²

drum² v past tense and past participle drummed present participle drumming

1.)

to play a drum

2.) [I and T]

to make a sound similar to a drum by hitting a surface again and again

▪ I could hear the rain drumming against the windows.

▪ Lisa drummed her fingers impatiently on the table.

3.) drum sth home

to use repeated arguments or messages in order to make sure that people understand something

▪ An information booklet will be available and press advertisements will drum home the message.

drum into [drum sth into sb] [i]phr v

to keep telling someone something until they cannot forget it

▪ 'Don't talk to strangers' is a message drummed into children from an early age.

drum out of [drum sb out of sth] phr v

to force someone to leave an organization, place, or job

▪ He was drummed out of the army.

drum up [drum sth<=>up] phr v

to get support, interest, attention etc from people by making an effort

▪ He travelled throughout Latin America drumming up support for the confederation.

▪ The organization is using the event to drum up business (=get more work and sales) .