drumnoun [ C ]
uk/drʌm/us/drʌm/drum noun [ C ] (INSTRUMENT)
A2 a musical instrument, especially one made from a skin stretched over the end of a hollow tube or bowl, played by hitting with the hand or a stick:
a bass/snare/kettle drum
They danced to the beat of the drums (= sound of the drums being hit).
More examples
- He beat out a jazz rhythm on the drums.
- The drums and double bass usually form the rhythm section of a jazz group.
- The drums rolled as the acrobat walked along the tightrope.
- Beat the drum.
- a drum roll
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Musical instruments
- accordion
- alphorn
- alto
- alto recorder
- bagpipes
- English horn
- euphonium
- fingerboard
- flugelhorn
- flute
- pitched
- plectrum
- reed
- reed instrument
- sax
- viola
- violin
- violoncello
- vuvuzela
- wind chimes
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drum noun [ C ] (CONTAINER)
a large tube-like container:
an oil drum
a five-gallon plastic drum
a drum of radioactive waste
the hollow metal cylinder in a washing machine into which clothes and other things are put for washing
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
General and miscellaneous containers
- bin
- carton
- casing
- casket
- clothes basket
- coal bunker
- coffer
- hamper
- hanging basket
- hod
- holder
- inkstand
- receptacle
- resealable
- safe
- safe deposit box
- safety deposit box
- sandpail
- shaker
- wormery
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Kitchen appliances
Idiom(s)
bang/beat the drum
drumverb [ I or T ]
uk/drʌm/us/drʌm/-mm-to hit a surface regularly and make a sound like a drum, or to make something do this:
She drummed her fingers impatiently on the table.
The rain drummed loudly on the roof.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Hitting and beating
- a bunch of fives idiom
- a rap on/over the knuckles idiom
- at-risk
- bang up sb/sth
- bashing
- deck
- kick
- knock
- knock sb's block off idiom
- lay
- lay sb out
- licking
- mess sb up
- pasting
- pound
- pummel
- put the boot in idiom
- swing
- thump
- whack
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Phrasal verb(s)
drum sth into sb
drum sb out of sth
drum sth up