bass drum

American  

[beys] / beɪs /

noun

bass drums plural

1. the largest and lowest toned of drums, having a cylindrical body and two membrane heads.

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bass drum British  

/ beɪs /

noun

1. Also called: gran cassa.  a large shallow drum of low and indefinite pitch

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bass drum Cultural  

1. The large drum with a cylindrical shape that gives the strong beat in brass bands.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bass drums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bass drum

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

But it was fun to see Jake Clemons put his saxophone down to smack a bass drum hard enough that you could hear it without apparent amplification.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2024

All but one song is written by Cato and on one tune alone, he’s credited with acoustic guitar, bass, drums, tambourine, seed shaker, concert bass drum, lead vocals and background vocals.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 8, 2023

The neck of the bass guitar meets the circle of the bass drum, and Melanie Charles’s foot connects with the bass, which forms a diagonal line with Jonathan Michel’s finger.

From New York Times • Dec. 12, 2022

During his first summer as a professional actor, Bonneville played the bass drum in “Romeo and Juliet,” the cymbal in “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and an officer in Shaw’s “Arms and the Man.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 7, 2022

Matt’s voice, to his horror, boomed out like a bass drum.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer