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.
Adnoc L&S supports offshore drilling projects and operates more than 100 ships used to transport crude oil, liquefied natural gas and refined products globally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
In April, another deal was signed with an ExxonMobil-led consortium for exploratory drilling in the northwestern Ionian Sea set to begin in 2027.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
His support for exploratory oil drilling in offshore waters near the mouth of the Amazon in particular has drawn criticism.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
As the city moves to ban wells and new state laws require buffer zones and plugging idle wells, “the relationship between residential communities and oil drilling operators has been reset,” she wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
All week, Henry had been mercifully preoccupied with drilling a well out in Smith County, which kept him away for long hours.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
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.
