To teach or fix something in someone's mind by constant, forceful repetition.
To make someone learn something by saying it over and over again until they can't forget it.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To teach someone something by repeating it so often that they cannot forget it, often through insistence or pressure.
"My father drummed good manners into us from a very early age."
Respect for elders was drummed into us as children.
— Common formulation widely attributed in memoirs and interviews; representative of idiomatic usage.
To force an idea or belief into someone's mind through persistent, often unwelcome repetition.
"The coach drummed the importance of teamwork into his players all season long."
To beat (drum) something physically into a container or space — the image of a drumbeat repeating until it penetrates.
To make someone learn something by saying it over and over again until they can't forget it.
Usually used in passive or past tense constructions ('it was drummed into me'). Often carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting the learning was imposed rather than freely chosen. Common in British and American English alike.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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