: a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow shell or cylinder with a drumhead stretched over one or both ends that is beaten with the hands or with some implement (such as a stick or wire brush)
Noun (1)
an oil drumVerb
She drummed while he played the guitar.
Her fingers drummed nervously on the table.
He was nervously drumming a pencil on the desk.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Other promotions include $10 Tuesday, offering an eight-piece bucket of drums and thighs.—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 June 2024 Against cascading drums and keys, Muldrow repeats the song’s title, turning it into a mantra for Rodriguez’s life and career.—Marcus J. Moore, New York Times, 12 June 2024
Verb
On the most recent episode of The Kardashians, the couple shared details of Rocky's birth, including the reason why Travis was drumming in the hospital room during their son's delivery.—Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 23 June 2024 While not known for his musical chops, Stewart very briefly drummed with the U.S. Army Field Band Six-String Soldiers during a November Veterans Day event in the Financial District.—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 17 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for drum
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
probably from Dutch trom; akin to Middle High German trumme drum
Noun (2)
Scottish Gaelic druim back, ridge, from Old Irish druimm
: a musical percussion instrument consisting of a hollow cylinder with a thin layer of material (as animal skin or plastic) stretched over one or both ends that is beaten with a stick or with the hands
2
: the sound of a drum
also: a similar sound
3
: a drum-shaped object: as
a
: a cylindrical mechanical device or part
b
: a cylindrical container
oil drums
c
: a disk-shaped ammunition container that may be attached to a firearm
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