drum

Everyday

1. A drum is a musical instrument made of a hollow body with skin or plastic stretched over it, played by hitting it with sticks or hands. tree →
2. A drum is a large container shaped like a cylinder, for liquids: an oil drum. tree →
3. To drum means to play a drum, or to tap again and again: drum your fingers. tree →
4. To drum something into someone means to teach it by repeating it many times. tree →
5. The eardrum is the thin skin inside your ear. tree →

In the lessons

In music lessons, pupils play drums to keep the beat and rhythm. In science, drums show how sound is made by vibrations; tighter skin makes a higher note; the eardrum vibrates when sound reaches it. In everyday life, rain «drums» on the roof. Phrases: play the drums, drum kit, drumroll, drum up (support), beat the drum, eardrum.

Examples

• My brother plays the drums in a band. tree →
• The drum makes a sound when its skin vibrates. tree →
• Rain was drumming on the tin roof. tree →
• She drummed her fingers on the desk. tree →
• The road-safety rules were drummed into us. tree →
• Very loud noise can damage your eardrums. tree →
• There was a drumroll before the winner was announced. tree →
• The Beetle smote upon the drum. tree →

Note

Double m: drummed, drumming. «Play the drums» (plural) for the kit. In maths, a drum (container) is a cylinder; volume = area of the circle × height. A person who plays drums is a drummer.