Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DRUM, n.2 and v. Sc. usages.
I. n.
1. The beating of a drum by the Edinburgh Town-guard to announce the hour of ten at night, when the inhabitants were expected to go home. Obs. since 18th cent. Cf. elders' hours s.v. Elder.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 192:
I'll wait upon ye, there's my Thumb, Were't frae the Gill-bells to the Drum.
2. “The cylindrical part of a thrashing machine, upon which are fixed the pieces of wood that beat out the grain” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2). Gen.Sc. Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1831 J. C. Loudon Encycl. Agric. 436:
The grain was beat out by the drum, to which it was presented through two plain feeding-rollers, which were afterwards altered for fluted ones.e.Lth. 1805 R. Somerville Agric. e.Lth. 76:
The sheaves were carried between an indented drum . . . and a number of rollers of the same deseription ranged round the drum.
3. Phr. and Comb.: (1) drum-fu', as tight as a drum, absolutely full (with food) (Abd.15, Ags. 1950); (2) to break the drum, to “beat the band”, to surpass everything (Ags.17 1940).(1) Fif.10 1940:
The bairn's kyte's drum-fu'.Hdg. 1885 J. Lumsden Rhymes and Sk. 237:
The things he sent him — jeely an' meat an' wine, an' a' that — held a' oor hoose drum-fou for better than a fortnicht.(2) Ags. 1891 J. M. Barrie Little Minister x.:
Ay, but this breaks the drum.
II. v. To drive bees out of a straw hive by beating on the sides with the hands.Sc. 1870 A. Pettigrew Handy Bk. of Bees 179:
The drumming or driving now commences, simply by beating the bottom hive with open hands.Abd. 1947 Abd. Press & Jnl. (3 Sept.):
Bees — Swarm or Cast Wtd. Would drum ruskies.
