drill
(drɪl )
Word forms: drills , drilling , drilled
1. countable noun
A drill is a tool or machine that you use for making holes.
...pneumatic drills.
...a dentist's drill.
2. verb
When you drill into something or drill a hole in something, you make a hole in it using a drill.
He drilled into the wall of Lili's bedroom. [VERB preposition]
I drilled five holes at equal distance. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: bore, pierce, penetrate, sink in
3. verb
When people drill for oil or water, they search for it by drilling deep holes in the ground or in the bottom of the sea.
There have been proposals to drill for more oil. [VERB + for]
The team is still drilling. [VERB]
drilling uncountable noun
Drilling is due to start early next year.
4. countable noun
A drill is a way that teachers teach their students something by making them repeat it many times.
The teacher runs them through a drill–the days of the week, the weather and some counting.
5. verb
If you drill people, you teach them to do something by making them repeat it many times.
He drills the choir to a high standard. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: train, coach, teach, exercise
drilling uncountable noun
...stimulation rather than repetitive drilling.
6. variable noun [oft NOUN noun]
A drill is repeated training for a group of people, especially soldiers, so that they can do something quickly and efficiently.
The Marines carried out a drill that included 18 ships and 90 aircraft.
His hands were clasped behind him like a drill sergeant.
7. countable noun [oft noun NOUN]
A drill is a routine exercise or activity, in which people practise what they should do in dangerous situations.
...a fire drill.
...air-raid drills.
Synonyms: practice, procedure, routine, system
8. uncountable noun [oft noun NOUN, NOUN noun]
Drill is thick cotton material which is used for making uniforms and trousers.
...cotton drill.
9. countable noun
A drill is a long line in the earth, a few centimetres deep, which a farmer or gardener makes to plant seeds in.
Sow the seeds in drills about 1/2in. deep and 12in. apart.
Image of drill
© Iakov Filimonov, Shutterstock
Collocations:
army drill drill a hole drill a well drill deeper drill exercise drill instructor drill offshore drill site electric drill emergency drill evacuation drill fielding drill football drill military drill perform a drill safety drill speed drill training drill
Use your willpower: treat this new eating regimen like army drill or marathon training.
Times, Sunday Times
It always seemed more like a gruelling army drill than a relaxing pastime.
The Sun
So he propelled himself with his elbows and knees, like in that army drill loved by reality television shows where the contestants must crawl under camouflage netting.
Times, Sunday Times
He plays precisely by the rules and acts as a kind of stereotypical army drill sergeant towards the other tugs.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
It was requisitioned in 1914 for use as an army drill hall and later became a warehouse before being returned to use as an art gallery in 1979.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Cops say they drill a hole into the pneumatic tubes used to whisk metal containers stuffed with rolls of cash around the store.
The Sun
You need a well-established tree with a big crown: drill a hole and stick in a siphoning tube to collect a gallon in 24 hours.
Times, Sunday Times
Depending on the ground we're working, it takes a minute or two to drill a hole.
Times, Sunday Times
Drill a hole in the other board to attach the hands.
The Sun
I could no more drill a hole in my head than leave my two to a journey of such lethal potential.
The Sun
Oil companies wanting to extract oil from the land must give the owners an upfront payment to drill a well.
Times, Sunday Times
We can't drill the well, so we can't bring the production up.
Times, Sunday Times
They simply exist on the hope that, at some point, they will be able to drill a well and find some.
Times, Sunday Times
The company did not say when it would next drill a well on the block, whose potential analysts have described as 'enormous'.
Times, Sunday Times
Companies wanting to extract oil from the land must give the owners a signing-on bonus to drill a well and pay them a royalty for every barrel extracted.
Times, Sunday Times
Drill deeper into the data and there are some surprises, as well as lessons for investors.
Times, Sunday Times
Having longer sections of drill pipe allows the drilling rigs to drill deeper sections of the wellbore, thus making fewer connections of drill pipe.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Which begs the question: when one drills deeper down into the data, which sectors of the economy did the really heavy lifting since 2008?
Times, Sunday Times
He would drill deeper into the ground, despite technical issues and the higher cost, in order to reach the large oil deposits.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Receiving a patent in 1926, the device helped the company drill deeper oil wells.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
In a drill exercise today, hospitals are to be tested on spotting the disease and isolating patients.
Times, Sunday Times
He replaced expensive field maneuvers with drill exercise and parades, alienating experienced commanders and contributing to dissatisfaction of the nobility.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Students also participated in military drill exercises.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
First, was the execution of strict drill exercises, carrying out of ceremonies at different times, and strict attention given to discipline, formal ceremonies and military relationships between the various ranks.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The job requires the attributes of a kindergarten teacher, drill instructor and chauffeur.
Globe and Mail
Cadets are assigned to one of five company barracks, supervised by a drill instructor and assistant drill instructor.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The arduous nature of drill instructor duty means that such assignments are among the most prestigious carried out by enlisted personnel.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Recruits are broken into squad-sized teams (possibly smaller) and placed under the charge of one drill instructor.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He was a drill instructor who was full of energy.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The company's primary business was providing fully manned mobile drilling rigs to drill offshore.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Cairn's wells bring the total drilled offshore to nine.
Times, Sunday Times
Until a couple years ago, fewer than 20 wells had been drilled offshore.
Times, Sunday Times
Another factor in the decision was that the technology had recently been developed for extensive exploration and drilling offshore.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
A drillship has greater mobility and can move quickly under its own propulsion from drill site to drill site in contrast to semi-submersibles and jackup barges and platforms.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
However, they did recommend tighter regulations and closer monitoring of drilling sites using hydraulic fracturing.
Times, Sunday Times
One industry-sponsored report said each drilling site could require 31,288 lorry movements over two decades.
Times, Sunday Times
The incident spawned a generation of safety regulations that require the industry to designate hazardous drilling targets as critical wells and to use elaborate safety precautions at the drill site.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
It will call for a 'one-stop shop' approach that would allow approvals for drilling sites rather than individual wells, as explorers often drill up to 20 wells at one location.
Times, Sunday Times
Nearby, somebody inserts an electric drill up his nose - and switches it on.
Times, Sunday Times
The musical effect resembles that of an electric drill.
Times, Sunday Times
This kit includes a cleaning pad designed to be attached to an electric drill, for a more even application.
Times, Sunday Times
He then went on to put an electric drill to his own head - it was unbelievable.
The Sun
Its kits are designed to be used with an electric drill polisher because of the large area of glass involved.
Times, Sunday Times
Passengers should be reassured by the announcement from the cruise industry of an emergency drill requiring mandatory muster for embarking passengers prior to departure.
Times, Sunday Times
Meanwhile, cruise passengers can expect to face more intensive emergency drills, following the announcement of an industry-wide review of safety procedures.
Times, Sunday Times
Inquiries from others have risen sharply in the past few days; and some companies have been testing the facilities in emergency drills.
Times, Sunday Times
Carry out emergency drills, then end the day with traditional music and dancing.
Times, Sunday Times
The lessons learnt from earlier emergency drills saved lives last year.
Times, Sunday Times
The first evacuation drill was due to take place nearly 24 hours after the liner began its journey.
Times, Sunday Times
The school has an evacuation drill when a real earthquake hits.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The planning and evacuation drills helped keep the death toll low.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The local schools regularly stage lahar evacuation drills, and residents have been informed as to lahar escape routes.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Fielding drills had largely been abandoned and the dressing room was a joyless place.
Times, Sunday Times
He will need to have a full-on net practice, and go through all his fielding drills in order to play.
Times, Sunday Times
They avoided the nets completely, settling instead on fielding drills and fitness work.
Times, Sunday Times
There have been a few new fielding drills, complete with forfeits for those who make mistakes.
Times, Sunday Times
For the pop challenge, one player from each team must complete 100 up-downs (a classic football drill) in the mud.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The striker began the warm-ups but did not take part in any football drills.
The Sun
They would also do football drills where guys would drop passes and miss the ball when trying to kick it.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He did not participate in spring football drills due to schedule conflicts with his commitments to the school's track team.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He has published several books of football drills and instructional techniques.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Three of the four main gateways have been unearthed, as have the outside walls, granary buildings, workshops and a military drill hall.
Times, Sunday Times
They performed military drill and ceremonial functions at parades, funerals, and other events.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Try-outs are held at the beginning of each semester and consist of twenty-one days of intense training in military drill techniques.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
This could have been intended to be the first ever test of the rocket or a military drill.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
It encompasses regimental training, military drill, and physical fitness.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
These performed in a concert setting for entertainment, as well as continued to perform drill and martial events.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He sometimes had the players perform drills that lacked purpose which the team performed until a player questioned the validity of the drill.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Shut-in procedures are usually developed and practiced for every rig activity, such as drilling, tripping, logging, running tubular, performing a drill stem test, and so on.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Under current law, a safety drill must be completed within 24 hours of leaving port.
Times, Sunday Times
Current regulations also state that a safety drill should be held within 24 hours of putting to sea.
Times, Sunday Times
The safety drill was one the students had practised before and some said they thought the lockdown was another dry run.
canada.com
Without any laborious safety drills, we were off, running with packs through the broadleaf woods.
Times, Sunday Times
It wasn’t just the locked doors, or the lack of safety drills—although those certainly contributed.
Smithsonian Mag
As you get better over the days to come, phase in faster speed drills.
The Sun
Cardiovascular conditioning, speed drills, strength training and flexibility are also important aspects of a fighter's training.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
There are stories of a dentist, in the 1940s, applying random sound to patients ears through earphones to mask the terrible noise of slow speed drills.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
He was playing a suspect in the training drill and was not wearing body armour.
The Sun
As fans hit the shops to snap up their team's latest look, here we put the kits through a pre-season fashion training drill.
The Sun
The heli pilot had not seen the danger as he wore a vision-limiting visor for a training drill.
The Sun
His bad luck continued, and in the 2006 pre-season he injured the same knee during a routine training drill.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
There were no fixed training drills, just half an hour upstream and half an hour back in the opposite direction.
Times,Sunday Times
Translations:
Chinese: 电钻, 钻
Japanese: ドリル, 穴をあける