What does drilled mean?
"Drilled" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "drill," and it carries two main strands of meaning. The first, and most common today, concerns instruction: when soldiers, athletes, students, or employees are drilled, they are subjected to repeated, systematic practice so that a procedure becomes automatic and error-free — hence phrases like "a well-drilled squad" or "rules drilled into us from childhood." The second, older strand is physical: something that has been drilled has had holes bored into it, whether a wall, a tooth, or an oil field. The two senses are linked by history rather than logic, both evoking the image of working something over repeatedly until a result is achieved. The word often implies discipline and thoroughness, though it can hint at rigidity or rote learning. A third, now uncommon sense describes cloth woven in a durable diagonal twill, known as drill. Familiarity with these shades of meaning helps readers interpret everything from military memoirs to dental appointments.
verbPast tense and past participle of "drill": having been instructed or trained through repeated, systematic practice, or having had holes bored into it.
- (of people or troops) trained or instructed by means of repeated, systematic practice until responses become automatic
- Having had a hole or holes bored into it using a drill
- Made of or faced with drill, a sturdy twilled cotton fabric
"The squad was drilled relentlessly until every movement became second nature."
"Firefighters drilled in evacuation procedures until they could perform them blindfolded."
"The dentist drilled out the decayed portion of the tooth before filling it."
The words "drill," "thrill," and even "nostril" may all trace back to the same ancient idea of piercing straight through something.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of drilled
The verb "drill" in the sense of boring holes entered English around the early 17th century, most likely from Dutch "drillen" or a related Low German word meaning to bore or turn, of ultimately Germanic origin. The military sense of drilling troops developed shortly afterward in the 17th century, from the repetitive motion involved in maneuvering. Some scholars connect it with the older Germanic root seen in "thrill" (originally 'to pierce') and in "nostril" ('nose-hole'), which would tie the word back to the notion of piercing through. The separate noun "drill" for twilled cotton fabric comes instead from Middle English, probably via Latin "trilix" ('three-threaded'), and is unrelated in sense despite the identical form.
Related word forms
How drilled is actually used
Mostly used in passive or participial constructions ("a well-drilled team," "procedures drilled into students"). In military, sporting, and educational contexts it carries connotations of discipline and repetition, sometimes implying rigidity. The fabric sense is now rare and largely confined to textile and tailoring contexts.
Easily confused with drilled
"Droll" is an adjective meaning amusingly odd or whimsical, while "drilled" refers to training through repetition or boring holes.