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drum

Pronunciation: /ˈdɹʌm/

The English word “drum” has 19 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber; a membranophone.
  2. Any similar hollow, cylindrical object.
  3. A barrel or large cylindrical container for liquid transport and storage.
  4. Synonym of construction barrel.
  5. The encircling wall that supports a dome or cupola.
  6. Any of the cylindrical blocks that make up the shaft of a pillar.
  7. A drumfish (family Sciaenidae).
  8. A tip; a piece of information.
  9. The ear.
  10. A small hill or ridge of hills.
  11. A social gathering or assembly held in the evening.
  12. A person's home; a house or other building, especially when insalubrious; a tavern, a brothel.
  13. A drumstick (of chicken, turkey, etc).

verb

  1. To beat a drum.
  2. To beat with a rapid succession of strokes.
  3. To drill or review in an attempt to establish memorization.
  4. To throb, as the heart.
  5. To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc.; used with for.
  6. Of various animals, to make a vocalisation or mechanical sound that resembles drumming.

Etymology

Perhaps back-formation from drumslade (“drummer”), from Middle Dutch trommelslach (“drumbeat”), from trommel (“drum”) + slach (“beat”) (Dutch slag). Or perhaps borrowed directly from a continental Germanic language; compare Middle Dutch tromme (“drum”), Middle Low German trumme (“drum”) et al. Compare also Middle High German trumme, trumbe (“drum”), Old High German trumba (“trumpet”). Compare…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.