drilling

[ dril-ing ]

/ ˈdrɪl ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR drilling ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or thing that drills.

Origin of drilling

First recorded in 1615–25; drill¹ + -ing¹

Words nearby drilling

drill press, drill rig, drill string, drill team, drill tower, drilling, drilling mud, drilling platform, drilling rig, drillmaster, drillship

Definition for drilling (2 of 4)

drilling ²

[ dril-ing ]

/ ˈdrɪl ɪŋ /

noun

drill³.

Origin of drilling

1630–40; alteration of German Drillich, itself alteration of Latin trilīx triple-twilled (German dri- three- replacing Latin tri-)

Definition for drilling (3 of 4)

drill ¹

[ dril ]

/ drɪl /

noun

Machinery, Building Trades.

a shaftlike tool with two or more cutting edges for making holes in firm materials, especially by rotation.
a tool, especially a hand tool, for holding and operating such a tool.

Military.

training in formal marching or other precise military or naval movements.
an exercise in such training: gun drill.

any strict, methodical, repetitive, or mechanical training, instruction, or exercise: a spelling drill.

the correct or customary manner of proceeding.

Also called snail bore. a gastropod, Urosalpinx cinera, that bores holes in shellfish, as oysters.

verb (used with object)

to pierce or bore a hole in (something).

to make (a hole) by boring.

Military. to 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.

to impart (knowledge) by strict training, discipline, or repetition.

verb (used without object)

to pierce or bore something with or as with a drill.

to go through exercise in military or other training.

Origin of drill

1605–15; < Dutch dril (noun), drillen (v.)

synonym study for drill

3. See exercise.

OTHER WORDS FROM drill

drill·a·ble, adjective drill·a·bil·i·ty, noun drill·er, noun un·drill·a·ble, adjective

Definition for drilling (4 of 4)

drill ²

[ dril ]

/ drɪl /

noun

a small furrow made in the soil in which to sow seeds.

a row of seeds or plants thus sown.

a machine for sowing in rows and for covering the seeds when sown.

verb (used with object)

to sow (seed) in drills.

to sow or plant (soil, a plot of ground, etc.) in drills.

verb (used without object)

to sow seed in drills.

Origin of drill

1720–30; compare drill rill, German Rille furrow, rillen to groove

OTHER WORDS FROM drill

drill·er, noun

Example sentences from the Web for drilling

Shoddy well construction is considered a primary cause of groundwater contamination at drilling sites.

Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired. |David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News |December 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Kocurek now works 12-hour shifts as a night watchman guarding the entrance to a drilling patch.

Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired. |David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News |December 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Proceeds from its North Sea drilling rigs will insure corruption and kleptocracy on a Nigerian scale.

Up to a Point: A Free Scotland Would Be a Hilarious Disaster |P. J. O’Rourke |September 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The company had built an empire off finding and drilling natural gas discoveries as the fracking boom rolled across the country.

How the Kings of Fracking Double-Crossed Their Way to Riches |ProPublica |March 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Chesapeake aggressively pursued business opportunities beyond its drilling.

How the Kings of Fracking Double-Crossed Their Way to Riches |ProPublica |March 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
All through this he's been walking up and down the floor like he was drilling for the militia.

J. Poindexter, Colored |Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb
After the drilling of the division, a grand cock-fight occurred on the hill.

Incidents of the War: Humorous, Pathetic, and Descriptive |Alf Burnett
The Hillsdales, being the visitors, were given the privilege of drilling first.

The Camp Fire Girls Do Their Bit |Hildegard G. Frey
It was a distinct improvement over hand drilling, almost doubling the drilling rate, but was complex and highly unreliable.

Smithsonian Institution - United States National Museum - Bulletin 240 |Anonymous
The three hours of drilling in the morning do not include gymnasium exercises for three-quarters of an hour.

Europe from a Motor Car |Russell Richardson

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (1 of 4)

drill ¹

/ (drɪl) /

noun

a rotating tool that is inserted into a drilling machine or tool for boring cylindrical holes

a hand tool, either manually or electrically operated, for drilling holes

military

training in procedures or movements, as for ceremonial parades or the use of weapons
(as modifier)drill hall

strict and often repetitious training or exercises used as a method of teaching

informal correct procedure or routine

a marine gastropod mollusc, Urosalpinx cinera, closely related to the whelk, that preys on oysters

verb

to pierce, bore, or cut (a hole) in (material) with or as if with a drill to drill a hole; to drill metal

to instruct or be instructed in military procedures or movements

(tr) to teach by rigorous exercises or training

(tr) informal to hit (a ball) in a straight line at great speed

(tr) informal to riddle with bullets

Derived forms of drill

drillable, adjective driller, noun

Word Origin for drill

C17: from Middle Dutch drillen; related to Old High German drāen to turn

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (2 of 4)

drill ²

/ (drɪl) /

noun

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

verb

to plant (seeds) by means of a drill

Derived forms of drill

driller, noun

Word Origin for drill

C18: of uncertain origin; compare German Rille furrow

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (3 of 4)

drill ³

drilling

/ (drɪl) /

noun

a hard-wearing twill-weave cotton cloth, used for uniforms, etc

Word Origin for drill

C18: variant of German Drillich, from Latin trilīx, from tri- + līcium thread

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (4 of 4)

drill ⁴

/ (drɪl) /

noun

an Old World monkey, Mandrillus leucophaeus, of W Africa, related to the mandrill but smaller and less brightly coloured

Word Origin for drill

C17: from a West African word; compare mandrill

BROWSE DICTIONARY

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drilling

noun

Origin of drilling

Words nearby drilling

Definition for drilling (2 of 4)

noun

Origin of drilling

Definition for drilling (3 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of drill

synonym study for drill

OTHER WORDS FROM drill

Definition for drilling (4 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of drill

OTHER WORDS FROM drill

Example sentences from the Web for drilling

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (1 of 4)

noun

verb

Derived forms of drill

Word Origin for drill

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (2 of 4)

noun

verb

Derived forms of drill

Word Origin for drill

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (3 of 4)

drilling

noun

Word Origin for drill

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for drill

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

drilling

noun

Origin of drilling

Words nearby drilling

Definition for drilling (2 of 4)

noun

Origin of drilling

Definition for drilling (3 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of drill

synonym study for drill

OTHER WORDS FROM drill

Definition for drilling (4 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of drill

OTHER WORDS FROM drill

Words related to drilling

Example sentences from the Web for drilling

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (1 of 4)

noun

verb

Derived forms of drill

Word Origin for drill

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (2 of 4)

noun

verb

Derived forms of drill

Word Origin for drill

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (3 of 4)

drilling

noun

Word Origin for drill

British Dictionary definitions for drilling (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for drill