drum

Etymology

1535, back-formation from drumslade (“drummer”), from Middle Dutch trommelslach (“drumbeat”), from trommel (“drum”) + slach (“beat”) (Dutch slag).

Alternate etymology traces drum directly from Middle Dutch tromme (“drum”) or Middle Low German trumme (“drum”). Akin to Middle High German trumme, trumbe (“drum”), Old High German trumba (“trumpet”). More at trumpet.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɹʌm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌm

Noun

drum (plural drums)

1. 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.
2. Any similar hollow, cylindrical object.
3. In particular, a barrel or large cylindrical container for liquid transport and storage.

   The restaurant ordered ketchup in 50-gallon drums.

4. (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.

5. (architecture) The encircling wall that supports a dome or cupola
6. (architecture) Any of the cylindrical blocks that make up the shaft of a pillar
7. A drumfish.
8. (slang, Britain) A person's home.
9. (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.’

Verb

drum (third-person singular simple present drums, present participle drumming, simple past and past participle drummed)

1. (intransitive) To beat a drum.
2. (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

3. (transitive) To drill or review in an attempt to establish memorization.

   He’s still trying to drum Spanish verb conjugations into my head.

4. To throb, as the heart.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)

5. To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc.; used with for.

Alternative forms

• drumu

Etymology

Borrowed from Greek δρόμος (drómos, “road, track”). Compare Romanian drum.

Noun

drum n (plural drumuri)

1. road

Etymology

Borrowed from English drum.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

drum m (plural drums, diminutive drummetje n)

1. (music) drum

Adverb

drum

1. Contraction of darum.

Further reading

• drum in Duden online

Etymology

Borrowed from Greek δρόμος (drómos, “road, track”).

Noun

drum n (plural drumuri)

1. road

See also

• stradă
• cale
• cărare
• șosea

References

Language in Danger Andrew Dalby, 2003

References

• drum in DEX online - Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language), 2004-2018

Etymology

Borrowed from Greek δρόμος (drómos, “road, track”).

Noun

drȕm m (Cyrillic spelling дру̏м)

1. road