Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) An instrument of percussion, consisting either of a hollow cylinder, over each end of which is stretched a piece of skin or vellum, to be beaten with a stick; or of a metallic hemisphere (kettledrum) with a single piece of skin to be so beaten; the common instrument for marking time in martial music; one of the pair of tympani in an orchestra, or cavalry band. 2. (n.) Anything resembling a drum in form 3. (n.) A sheet iron radiator, often in the shape of a drum, for warming an apartment by means of heat received from a stovepipe, or a cylindrical receiver for steam, etc. 4. (n.) A small cylindrical box in which figs, etc., are packed. 5. (n.) The tympanum of the ear; -- often, but incorrectly, applied to the tympanic membrane. 6. (n.) One of the cylindrical, or nearly cylindrical, blocks, of which the shaft of a column is composed; also, a vertical wall, whether circular or polygonal in plan, carrying a cupola or dome. 7. (n.) A cylinder on a revolving shaft, generally for the purpose of driving several pulleys, by means of belts or straps passing around its periphery; also, the barrel of a hoisting machine, on which the rope or chain is wound. 8. (n.) See Drumfish. 9. (n.) A noisy, tumultuous assembly of fashionable people at a private house; a rout. 10. (n.) A tea party; a kettledrum. 11. (v. i.) To beat a drum with sticks; to beat or play a tune on a drum. 12. (v. i.) To beat with the fingers, as with drumsticks; to beat with a rapid succession of strokes; to make a noise like that of a beaten drum; as, the ruffed grouse drums with his wings. 13. (v. i.) To throb, as the heart. 14. (v. i.) To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc,; -- with for. 15. (v. t.) To execute on a drum, as a tune. 16. (v. t.) (With out) To expel ignominiously, with beat of drum; as, to drum out a deserter or rogue from a camp, etc. 17. (v. t.) (With up) To assemble by, or as by, beat of drum; to collect; to gather or draw by solicitation; as, to drum up recruits; to drum up customers. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia DRUM drum (tumpanon): This was the Hebrew toph, "tabret" or "timbrel," a hand-drum, consisting of a ring of wood or metal covered with a tightly drawn skin, with small pieces of metal hung around the rim, like a tambourine. It was raised in the one hand and struck with the other, usually by women, but sometimes also by men, at festivities and on occasions of rejoicing. See 1 Maccabees 9:39, the Revised Version (British and American) "timbrels."