drum

noun

1. A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an acoustic chamber; a membranophone.

   “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.”

2. Any similar hollow, cylindrical object.

   “Replace the drum unit of your printer.”

3. A barrel or large cylindrical container for liquid transport and storage.

   “The restaurant ordered ketchup in 50-gallon drums.”

4. (US)Synonym of construction barrel.
5. The encircling wall that supports a dome or cupola.
6. Any of the cylindrical blocks that make up the shaft of a pillar.
7. A drumfish (family Sciaenidae).
8. (Australia, slang)A tip; a piece of information.

   “‘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.’”

9. (obsolete, slang)The ear.
10. (archaic)A small hill or ridge of hills.
11. (historical)A social gathering or assembly held in the evening.

    “Another misfortune which befel poor Sophia, was the company of Lord Fellamar, whom she met at the opera, and who attended her to the drum.”

    “[H]e was engaged in a partie of cards, at a drum in the house of a certain lady of quality […].”

    “'Ten o'clock, and you are lighted as for a drum!”

12. (UK, slang)A person's home; a house or other building, especially when insalubrious; a tavern, a brothel.
13. (informal)A drumstick (of chicken, turkey, etc).

    “Add, thinly sliced, 1/2 to 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic also sliced, your choice of protein – chicken or turkey breast, or low fat beef, veal, lamb or pork, cut in pieces, or skinless chicken drums, and probably a little water. Then add 1/2 a cup of ...”

    “In a large frying pan, add some canola oil and half of the chicken drums and brown them on both sides. Repeat the procedure until all drums are browned. Place them in a medium baking pan. To the browned chicken drums, add sliced onion, ...”

    “3–5 pounds chicken drums and thighs, with skin Hot sauce to taste 1. In a gallon resealable plastic bag, add flour, pepper, and salt. Shake to mix. […]”

    “Up top, a pained expression, her eating face. My mom doesn't eat for taste, she does it to stay alive. Probably wouldn't eat if she didn't have to. I grab a new chopstick and when I get back there's a chicken drum on my plate. “Thanks, Ba,” I say.”

    “To stir the whole, he used a chicken drum.”

verb

1. (intransitive)To beat a drum.
2. (ambitransitive)To beat with a rapid succession of strokes.

   “The ruffed grouse drums with his wings.”

   “drumming with his fingers on the arm of his chair”

3. (transitive)To drill or review in an attempt to establish memorization.

   “He’s still trying to drum Spanish verb conjugations into my head.”

   “Those long ago memories of gnawing sexuality clashing against drummed in prejudice.”

4. To throb, as the heart.

   “Now, heart, […]thou shalt drum no more.”

5. To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc.; used with for.
6. Of various animals, to make a vocalisation or mechanical sound that resembles drumming.

   “"There is the snipe drumming also. We shall have it fine!" he added, with an air of conviction.”

name

1. (countable, uncountable)A surname.
2. (countable, uncountable)A settlement (Mains of Drum) in Aberdeenshire council area, Scotland, near Drum Castle (OS grid ref NO8099).
3. (countable, uncountable)A mountain in Conwy borough county borough, Wales (OS grid ref SH7069).
4. (countable, uncountable)A village in County Monaghan, Ireland.
5. (countable, uncountable)A civil parish and townland in County Roscommon, Ireland.
6. (countable, uncountable)An unincorporated community in Bollinger County, Missouri, USA, named after the Drum family.