drilling

IPA/drɪl/
KK[drˈɪlɪŋ]IPA/drɪl/

drilling — noun

1. the work or activity of using a drill to cut a hole through a hard material such

1.nounA2
Definition

the work or activity of using a drill to cut a hole through a hard material such as wood, metal, stone, or the ground

Example

Nila watched the construction workers finish the drilling for the new window frame.

uncountable noun used as subject or object

The drilling of the oil well required months of careful planning.

drilling of + [target material]

Common collocations
  • wall drilling
  • drilling equipment
  • drilling machine
  • drilling bit
  • drilling operation
  • drilling rig
Synonyms
  • boring

    more technical; usually refers to drilling deep holes in earth or metal using heavy machinery

  • perforation

    formal and medical/industrial; focuses on making a series of small holes

Usage Note

Commonly used with a prepositional phrase starting with 'of' (the drilling of a hole) or 'into' (drilling into a wall), or as an uncountable noun modified by an adjective before it.

Common Mistakes

I need to do a drilling on the wall.
I need to do some drilling on the wall.
'drilling' is uncountable, so use 'some' instead of 'a'.

2. a training activity in which a series of movements or actions are repeated many

2.nounB1
Definition

a training activity in which a series of movements or actions are repeated many times, especially in the military, sports, or emergency services, so that people can perform them correctly without thinking

Example

The new soldiers spent the morning doing drilling exercises on the parade ground.

drilling exercises — common military collocation

Fire drills are an important type of drilling that helps people stay safe in an emergency.

Common collocations
  • military drilling
  • daily drilling
  • morning drilling
  • drilling exercises
  • drilling routine
Synonyms
  • practice

    broader; can be individual or team practice without the strict repetition of a drill

  • exercise

    more general; can refer to any physical or mental training activity

Usage Note

Can be used as an uncountable noun (the general activity) or less commonly as a countable noun in the plural (soldiers doing drillings) — though 'drills' is more common for countable instances.

Common Mistakes

We had a drilling of fire safety this morning.
We had a fire drill this morning.
For a single practice event, use 'drill' (countable) instead of 'drilling' (uncountable).

drilling — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Drill, bore, pierce, puncture, and penetrate all describe making an opening or passing through a surface, but they differ in method and context. Drill specifically means using a rotating cutting tool to create a hole; bore is similar but more technical, often used for deep holes in earth (oil boring) or metal (boring a cylinder). Pierce focuses on a sharp point passing through a surface, like a needle piercing skin or a nail piercing a tyre. Puncture usually implies a small, often accidental hole made by a sharp object — a nail puncturing a tyre. Penetrate is the broadest: anything that enters or passes through something, from a bullet penetrating armour to light penetrating fog. For everyday DIY tasks, drill is the right word — you drill a hole to hang a shelf, not bore or pierce it.

bore ↗pierce ↗puncturepenetrate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • drilling machine
  • drilling rig
  • drilling equipment
  • drilling bit

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle DutchEnglish

The word 'drill' comes from the Middle Dutch word 'drillen', meaning 'to turn in a circle' or 'to bore'. The tool sense — a device that spins to make holes — appeared in English in the early 1600s. The training sense (military drills) developed in the 1700s, drawing on the idea of repetitive, mechanical movements that mirror the rotating action of a drill. The verb form 'drilling' for forceful repetition (drilling facts into someone) emerged from this military-training meaning.

First known use

1640

1640, in the meaning defined above