What is "bow drill"

Drill \Drill\, n.

1. An instrument with an edged or pointed end used for making holes in hard substances; strictly, a tool that cuts with its end, by revolving, as in drilling metals, or by a succession of blows, as in drilling stone; also, a drill press.

2. (Mil.) The act or exercise of training soldiers in the military art, as in the manual of arms, in the execution of evolutions, and the like; hence, diligent and strict instruction and exercise in the rudiments and methods of any business; a kind or method of military exercises; as, infantry drill; battalion drill; artillery drill.

3. Any exercise, physical or mental, enforced with regularity and by constant repetition; as, a severe drill in Latin grammar.

4. (Zo["o]l.) A marine gastropod, of several species, which kills oysters and other bivalves by drilling holes through the shell. The most destructive kind is Urosalpinx cinerea.

   Bow drill, Breast drill. See under Bow, Breast.

   Cotter drill, or Traverse drill, a machine tool for drilling slots.

   Diamond drill. See under Diamond.

   Drill jig. See under Jig.

   Drill pin, the pin in a lock which enters the hollow stem of the key.

   Drill sergeant (Mil.), a noncommissioned officer whose office it is to instruct soldiers as to their duties, and to train them to military exercises and evolutions.

   Vertical drill, a drill press.

Bow \Bow\ (b[=o]), n. [OE. bowe, boge, AS. boga, fr. AS. b[=u]gan to bend; akin to D. boog, G. bogen, Icel. bogi. See Bow, v. t.]

1. Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.

   I do set my bow in the cloud.
   --Gen. ix. 13.

2. A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which an arrow is propelled.

3. An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.

4. The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.

5. (Mus.) An appliance consisting of an elastic rod, with a number of horse hairs stretched from end to end of it, used in playing on a stringed instrument.

6. An arcograph.

7. (Mech. & Manuf.) Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging the hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.

8. (Naut.) A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.

9. (Saddlery) sing. or pl. Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.

   Bow bearer (O. Eng. Law), an under officer of the forest who looked after trespassers.

   Bow drill, a drill worked by a bow and string.

   Bow instrument (Mus.), any stringed instrument from which the tones are produced by the bow.

   Bow window (Arch.) See Bay window.

   To draw a long bow, to lie; to exaggerate. [Colloq.]

The bow drill is an ancient form of drilling tool. It commonly was used to make friction fire, and in this function it also was called a fire drill. However, the same principle also was used widely in drilling for purposes of woodworking and dentistry.