drilling
1 Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of drilling1
First recorded in 1615–25; drill 1 + -ing 1
Origin of drilling2
1630–40; alteration of German Drillich, itself alteration of Latin trilīx triple-twilled ( German dri- three- replacing Latin tri- )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While earlier projects such as Camp Century and the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 in the 1990s collected material beneath ice cores, GreenDrill is the first to intentionally target sub-ice material when choosing drilling locations.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026
The firm says Critical Metals can achieve almost $200 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization once the first phase of drilling is at 100% capacity.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
The chancellor also said she would be announcing changes to energy policy in the coming days, including over drilling in the North Sea and reforming the link between gas and electricity prices.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Oil prices at today’s levels are actually high enough to provoke another drilling boom, according to data from the Dallas Fed.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026
Since the humans had begun experimenting with mineral drilling, more and more fairies had been driven out of the shallow forts and into the depth and security of Haven City.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
