to drum
18
1.3
- verb
- /drʌm/
:
tamborilear
- "Come on, Schiff," he kept warning impatiently, drumming his fingers on the desk.
Examples
-
"Sir?" Padretti sat silently for a long moment, drumming his fingers against his lower lip.
Fiction book (1999) -
Eat your Wheaties, do your homework and drum on.
-
Then I will come home, I will eat, I will drum for half an hour.
-
Lal can drum however he wants.
-
"I turned and saw Red standing beside the car, drumming on the roof."
Fiction book (1998) -
Kevin looked down at his essay and began drumming the table with his pencil.
Academic text (2003) -
Beatrice came in, sat on the freezer, and began to drum her legs silently against its side.
Fiction book (1998) -
I stared out of the window at the passing gray, drumming my hands on my knees.
Fiction book (1994) -
When one hominid starts drumming, soon others start drumming along in imitation.
Academic text (2001) -
The children love to drum on the table during music class.
Synonyms
∞
1.2
To hit something or someone again and again, making a rhythm
2
3.6
Make a rhythm by hitting something repeatedly, like a drum
1
4.4
To touch something lightly with fingers or an object to make a rhythm
1
7.0
To play a strong, repeated beat by hitting an instrument like a drum
To make a low, steady humming sound
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
2
3.9
A Caribbean musical instrument made from an oil barrel that you hit to make different notes
- Specialized
1
4.8
A device that stops a vehicle wheel by pressing curved metal pieces inside a round drum
- US
1
7.0
A large fish people eat and catch for sport along the United States Atlantic coast
- Specialized
1
4.5
A hollow round metal part on a wheel that brake shoes push against to stop the vehicle
- Specialized
1
6.0
A power tool that sands wood with a spinning drum wrapped in sandpaper
1
3.2
A large round metal container that holds liquids and dry goods for storage and transport
- Archaic
An early computer storage device using a rotating metal cylinder covered with magnetic material to hold data
- Archaic
A fast machine that makes whole lines of letters and numbers using a rotating drum
A set of pads and electronics you play like drums to make different drum sounds
- Archaic
A round metal object covered with magnetic material that stores computer data, especially in early computers
- UK
A small musical instrument with two tight skins and wires under one skin used in bands and orchestras
How Loud
Surface Forms
Etymology
Drum (make a continuous rhythmic sound) comes straight from the instrument: to 'drum' is to make a steady beat or repeated sound, like hitting a drum, tapping fingers, or rain on a roof.