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drill

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

drill¹ / dril/ • n. 1. a hand tool, power tool, or machine with a rotating cutting tip or reciprocating hammer or chisel, used for making holes. ∎  such a tool used by a dentist for cutting away part of a tooth before filling it. 2. instruction or training in military exercises. ∎  intensive instruction or training in something, typically by means of repeated exercises. ∎  a rehearsal of the procedure to be followed in an emergency. ∎  (the drill) inf. the correct or recognized procedure or way of doing something: he didn't know the drill. 3. a predatory mollusk (family Muricidae, class Gastropoda) that bores into the shells of other mollusks in order to feed on the soft tissue. • v. [tr.] 1. produce (a hole) in something by or as if by boring with a drill. ∎  make a hole in (something) by boring with a drill. ∎  [intr.] make a hole in or through something by using a drill: fig. his eyes drilled into her. ∎  [intr.] sink a borehole in order to obtain a certain substance, typically oil or water: they are licensed to drill for oil in the area | [as n.] (drilling) drilling should begin next year. ∎  (of a dentist) cut away part of (a tooth) before filling it. ∎  [tr.] inf. (of a sports player) hit, throw, or kick (a ball or puck) hard and in a straight line. 2. subject (someone) to military training exercises. ∎  [intr.] (of a person) take part in such exercises. ∎  instruct (someone) in something by the means of repeated exercises or practice. ∎  (drill something into) cause (someone) to learn something by repeating it regularly. DERIVATIVES: drill·er n.

drill

drill² • n. a machine that makes small furrows, sows seed in them, and then covers the sown seed. ∎  a small furrow, esp. one made by such a machine. ∎  a ridge with such a furrow on top. ∎  a row of plants sown in such a furrow: drills of lettuces. • v. [tr.] (of a person or machine) sow (seed) with a drill: crops drilled in autumn. ∎  plant (the ground) in furrows: [as n.] (drilling) accurate ridging and drilling make hoeing much easier. drill³ • n. a dark brown baboon (Mandrillus leucophaeus) with a short tail, found in the rain forests of West Africa. Compare with mandrill. drill⁴ • n. a coarse twilled cotton or linen fabric.

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© The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2008, originally published by Oxford University Press 2008.