Word of the Day: Drill

drill / ‘dril   noun (1)  

1. a long tool with sharp edges, used to bore holes, typically by rotating

All I had was a drill, an electric drill. James Dyson, 1947-  

2. military exercises for marching or other such practices

A hard drill makes an easy battle. Alexander Suvorov, 1730-1800  

3. a repetitive, methodical exercise used for memorization

The pleasures of being read to are far more likely to strengthen a child’s desire to learn to read than are repetitions of sounds, alphabet drills, and deciphering uninteresting words. Lilian Katz, 1932-  

4. the right manner or procedure in which a thing should be done

I’ve been to the dentist a thousand times, so I know the drill. Adam Young, 1986-  

5. a practice to prepare for some situation

Feeling earthquakes was part of growing up, and also preparing for them: doing earthquake drills, or having earthquake supplies. Karen Thompson Walker, 1980-       verb (1)  

1. to bore a hole into something

We can’t just drill our way out of the energy and climate challenge that we face. Barack Obama, 1961-  

2. to provide strict instructions in military practices

In the army we are drilled into execution and then supervision, to make sure everything goes the way you planned it. Colin Powell, 1937-  

3. to provide knowledge by rigorous repetition so as to fix in the mind

But [colleges] can only highly serve us, when they aim not to drill, but to create; when they gather far from every ray of various genius to their hospitable halls, and, by the concentrated fires, set the hearts of their youth on flame. Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882   noun (2)  

1. a black and brown baboon found in Western Africa

Drills walk on the flat surfaces of their feet and hands, not on their knuckles as do the great apes. https://zooatlanta.org/animal/drill/   noun (3)  

1. a strong woven fabric

Drill incorporates a weave that makes it an awfully sturdy, dense medium to significant weight cloth. https://etradepakistan.com/product/drill-fabric-best-quality-drill-fabric-from-pakistan/