drilling

"Drilling" is the present participle (the -ing form) of the verb "drill." It has a few common meanings — from making holes in physical objects, to practising something repeatedly, to a military or training exercise. Here are the most useful senses.

1verbmaking a hole

When you use a sharp, rotating tool to make a hole in something hard — like wood, metal, or the ground — you are drilling. Think of a dentist using a small machine to make a hole in your tooth, or a construction worker boring into a wall.

construction, engineering, everyday language · Modern, widely used

The workers are drilling through the concrete to lay new pipes.

She spent the afternoon drilling holes in the wall to hang her shelves.

The oil company has been drilling deep into the seabed for months.

2verbpractising repeatedly

When a teacher or coach makes you repeat something over and over so that you learn it perfectly, that is drilling. It is like training your brain or body through repetition until the skill becomes automatic.

education, sports, military training · Modern, widely used

The coach was drilling the players on their passing technique every morning.

Our teacher kept drilling us on multiplication tables until we knew them by heart.

The language school drills students on pronunciation at the start of every class.

3nouna training exercise or practice session

A drill (used as a noun, but 'drilling' can describe the activity) is a structured practice session where people repeat actions to be ready for a real situation. Fire drills, military drills, and emergency drills are common examples.

military, education, safety · Modern, widely used

The school held a fire drilling session to make sure all students knew the exit routes.

Military drilling builds discipline and coordination among soldiers.

The team's drilling sessions before the tournament really paid off.

4verbextracting oil or gas

In the energy industry, drilling specifically means boring deep into the earth to reach oil, gas, or water. You will often hear this in news about energy companies or environmental topics.

energy industry, environment, news · Modern, widely used

The government approved drilling in the northern region to boost oil production.

Environmental groups are protesting against drilling in protected natural areas.

New technology has made offshore drilling safer and more efficient.