Drum

Drum, drum, n. an instrument of percussion, in which a skin of parchment, stretched on a frame of wood or metal, is beaten with an instrument called a drumstick: anything shaped like a drum: the tympanum or middle portion of the ear: (archit.) the upright part of a cupola: (mech.) a revolving cylinder: formerly a large and tumultuous evening party (said to be so called because rival hostesses vied with each other in beating up crowds of guests).—v.i. to beat a drum: to beat with the fingers.—v.t. to drum out, to expel: to summon:—pr.p. drum′ming; pa.p. drummed.—ns. Drum′head, the head of a drum (see Court-martial): the top part of a capstan; Drum′-mā′jor, the chief drummer of a regiment (now called sergeant-drummer); Drum′mer, one who drums: (U.S.) a commercial traveller; Drum′stick, the stick with which the drum is beat: the leg of a cooked fowl. [From a Teut. root found in Dut. trom, Ger. trommel, a drum; prob. imit.]