What does drill mean?
A drill is fundamentally two things: a tool that bores holes, and a method of learning through repetition. In its physical sense, a drill is any device — hand-powered, electric, or pneumatic — fitted with a rotating bit designed to cut into wood, metal, stone, or other hard materials, making it one of the most widely used tools in construction and home repair. In its instructional sense, a drill is structured, repeated practice designed to make a skill or response automatic, as in a fire drill, language drills in a classroom, or close-order drill in the armed forces. As a verb, drill can mean both to bore a hole ('drill a hole in the wall') and to train someone rigorously ('the coach drilled the team on fundamentals'). The word carries connotations of precision and repetition; in educational contexts it can suggest rote, mechanical learning, while in safety and military contexts it implies preparedness and discipline. Its ubiquity in both workshop and classroom makes it a versatile, high-frequency word.
A tool or machine fitted with a rotating cutting tip used for boring holes in hard materials.
"He used a hammer drill to anchor bolts into the concrete wall."
Often modified by type: electric drill, cordless drill, hammer drill, hand drill.
Repetitive instruction, practice, or training in a procedure or skill, especially one designed to produce an automatic or disciplined response.
"The crew ran through the abandon-ship drill before departure."
To make a hole in something using a rotating cutting tool.
"You'll need to drill a pilot hole before driving in the screws."
To subject someone to intensive, repetitive instruction or practice in a skill or procedure.
"The instructor drilled the new recruits until every command became second nature."
Standard plural; used for multiple tools, exercises, or training sessions.
"All the drills were laid out on the workbench before the job began."
The word for the tool that makes holes and the word for military practice likely share the same ancestor — one rooted in the idea of turning and boring.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of drill
The noun 'drill' meaning a boring tool appears in English by the early modern period, probably from Middle Dutch 'drille', a boring instrument, related to the verb 'drillen' meaning to bore or turn. The military sense of drill arose in the seventeenth century, when soldiers were trained through repetitive turning and wheeling movements, extending the idea of 'boring' or working something in repeatedly. The agricultural seed drill was later named for the tool's action. The word's Germanic relatives include Dutch 'drillen' and German 'drillen', both meaning to turn or bore, and it may ultimately be connected to other expressive Germanic verbs such as 'trill' and 'thrill'.
Related word forms
How drill is actually used
As a noun, drill is neutral in register and common across technical, military, and everyday contexts. The verb covers both boring holes and conducting repetitive practice. In computing and data analysis, 'drill down' means to navigate into deeper levels of detail.
Easily confused with drill
Dill is an aromatic herb used in cooking, while drill refers to a boring tool or repetitive practice.