drum
/ˈdɹʌm/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.11 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber; a membranophone.
noun
noun
The encircling wall that supports a dome or cupola.
Example Sentences
- "He's playing the piano and she's playing the drums!"
- "In the Province of Xenſi, near the City Vucung, is a Hill called Taipe, which if a Drum be beaten upon it, preſently followeth Thunder, Lightning, and ſtormy weather, inſomuch that the Magiſtrates have forbidden all perſons upon pain of death to beat any Drum there."
- "The group played huge drums placed overhead, along with flutes and a kotolike zither."
- "Replace the drum unit of your printer."
- "The restaurant ordered ketchup in 50-gallon drums."
- "‘he is the darndest little speaker we got, so better sit there and listen to him while he gives you the drum and if you clean out your earholes you might get a bit of sense into your heads.’"
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 Ancient Greek τῠ́μπᾰνον (tŭ́mpănon, “kettledrum”) whence Modern English timbre.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: trommelslach, tromme, trumme, druim, -, trum
Usage
- American usage
- Australian usage
- Slang
- Obsolete
- Intransitive verb
- Transitive verb
- Archaic
- British usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Music.