An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/drillen
drillen, verb, ‘to revolve, bore, drill,’ from Middle High German drillen, ‘to turn, make round’ (with the participle gedrollen, ‘round’). The meaning ‘to bore’ comes from Low German drillen (see drehen, drechseln, for the connecting link between the meanings), akin to Dutch drillen, English to thrill, and also Low German drall (Middle Dutch drel), ‘round, turning,’ which is formed by gradation. The nates point to a Teutonic root þrel, ‘to turn on a lathe). — drillen, ‘to plague’ or ‘to drill (recruits),’ may be derived from the first or the second meaning.