Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Drum
Drum
,Noun.
[Cf. D.
trom
, trommel
, LG. trumme
, G. trommel
, Dan. tromme
, Sw. trumma
, OHG. trumba
a trumpet, Icel. pruma
a clap of thunder, and as a verb, to thunder, Dan. drum
a booming sound, drumme
to boom; prob. partly at least of imitative origin; perh. akin to E. trum
, or trumpet
.] 1.
(Mus.)
An instrument of percussion, consisting either of a hollow cylinder, over each end of which is stretched a piece of skin or vellum, to be beaten with a stick; or of a metallic hemisphere (kettledrum) with a single piece of skin to be so beaten; the common instrument for marking time in martial music; one of the pair of tympani in an orchestra, or cavalry band.
The
drums
cry bud-a-dub. Gascoigne.
2.
Anything resembling a drum in form
; as: (a)
A sheet iron radiator, often in the shape of a drum, for warming an apartment by means of heat received from a stovepipe, or a cylindrical receiver for steam, etc.
(b)
A small cylindrical box in which figs, etc., are packed.
(c)
(Anat.)
The tympanum of the ear; – often, but incorrectly, applied to the tympanic membrane.
(d)
(Arch.)
One of the cylindrical, or nearly cylindrical, blocks, of which the shaft of a column is composed; also, a vertical wall, whether circular or polygonal in plan, carrying a cupola or dome.
(e)
(Mach.)
A cylinder on a revolving shaft, generally for the purpose of driving several pulleys, by means of belts or straps passing around its periphery; also, the barrel of a hoisting machine, on which the rope or chain is wound.
4.
A noisy, tumultuous assembly of fashionable people at a private house; a rout.
[Archaic]
Not unaptly styled a
drum
, from the noise and emptiness of the entertainment. Smollett.
☞ There were also drum major, rout, tempest, and hurricane, differing only in degrees of multitude and uproar, as the significant name of each declares.
5.
A tea party; a kettledrum.
G. Eliot.
Drum
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Drummed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Drumming
.] 1.
To beat a drum with sticks; to beat or play a tune on a drum.
2.
To beat with the fingers, as with drumsticks; to beat with a rapid succession of strokes; to make a noise like that of a beaten drum;
as, the ruffed grouse
. drums
with his wingsDrumming
with his fingers on the arm of his chair. W. Irving.
3.
To throb, as the heart.
[R.]
Dryden.
4.
To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc,; – with for.
Drum
,Verb.
T.
1.
To execute on a drum, as a tune.
2.
(With out) To expel ignominiously, with beat of drum;
as, to
drum
out a deserter or rogue from a camp, etc.3.
(With up) To assemble by, or as by, beat of drum; to collect; to gather or draw by solicitation;
as, to
drum
up recruits; to drum
up customers.Webster 1828 Edition
Drum
DRUM
,Noun.
1.
A martial instrument of music, in form of a hollow cylinder, and covered at the ends with vellum, which is stretched or slackened at pleasure.2.
In machinery, a short cylinder revolving on an axis, generally for the purpose of turning several small wheels, by means of straps passing round its periphery.3.
The drum of the ear, the tympanum, or barrel of the ear; the hollow part of the ear, behind the membrane of the tympanum. The latter is a tense membrane, which closes the external passage of the ear, and receives the vibrations of the air.DRUM
,Verb.
I.
1.
To beat a drum with sticks; to beat or play a tune on a drum.2.
To beat with the fingers, as with drumsticks; to beat with a rapid succession of strokes; as, to drum on the table.3.
To beat as the heart.DRUM
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
drum
drum
English
A drum (instrument).
A scanning machine including a large drum (cylindrical object).
Noun
drum (plural drums)
- A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber, affecting what materials are used to make it; a membranophone.
- Any similar hollow, cylindrical object.
- In particular, a barrel or large cylindrical container for liquid transport and storage.
- The restaurant ordered ketchup in 50-gallon drums.
- (obsolete or historical) A social gathering or assembly held in the evening.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, page 631:
- Another misfortune which befel poor Sophia, was the company of Lord Fellamar, whom she met at the opera, and who attended her to the drum.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, page 631:
- (architecture) The encircling wall that supports a dome or cupola
- (architecture) Any of the cylindrical blocks that make up the shaft of a pillar
- A drumfish.
- (slang, Britain) A person's home.
- (Australia slang) A tip, a piece of information.
- 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, page 258:
- ‘he is the darndest little speaker we got, so better sit there and listen to him while he gives you the drum and if you clean out your earholes you might get a bit of sense into your heads.’
- 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, page 258:
Derived terms
Terms derived from drum
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See also
Translations
musical instrument
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hollow, cylindrical object
|
barrel etc. for liquid
Verb
drum (third-person singular simple present drums, present participle drumming, simple past and past participle drummed)
- (intransitive) To beat a drum.
- (transitive, intransitive) To beat with a rapid succession of strokes.
- The ruffed grouse drums with his wings.
- Washington Irving
- drumming with his fingers on the arm of his chair
- (transitive) To drill or review in an attempt to establish memorization.
- He’s still trying to drum Spanish verb conjugations into my head.
- To throb, as the heart.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)
- To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc.; used with for.
Derived terms
Translations
to beat a drum
to beat with a rapid succession of strokes
to review to establish memorization
Aromanian
Alternative forms
- drumu
Etymology
From Greek δρόμος (drómos, “road, track”). Compare Romanian drum.
Noun
drum n (plural drumuri)
Synonyms
- cali, susachi
See also
Dutch
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
drum m (plural drums, diminutive drummetje n)
Synonyms
Derived terms
Romanian
Etymology
From Greek δρόμος (drómos, “road, track”).
Noun
drum n (plural drumuri)
Declension
declension of drum
Related terms
Related terms
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See also
References
Language in Danger Andrew Dalby, 2003
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
From Greek δρόμος (drómos, “road, track”).
Noun
drȕm m (Cyrillic spelling дру̏м)
Declension
Declension of drum
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | drȕm | drùmovi |
| genitive | drùma | drùmōvā |
| dative | drùmu | drùmovima |
| accusative | drȕm | drùmove |
| vocative | drȕme | drùmovi |
| locative | drùmu | drùmovima |
| instrumental | drùmom | drùmovima |