sound the drum

English

Verb

sound the drum

  1. (thieves' cant, obsolete) To knock or ring at the door of a house to determine whether it is empty, with a view to burglary if so.
    • 2014, Jan Bondeson, Murder Houses of London
      Chief Inspector Horwell had his men make house-to-house inquiries to find out if any burglar had been 'sounding the drum' in the neighbourhood.
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