# on the drum

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/on-the-drum
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Money in the form of paper currency or coins, paid immediately at the time and place of a transaction, especially to a soldier as pay or bonuses.

## Examples

- The soldiers received their pay on the drum.
- The captain promised the troops their bonuses on the drum before they marched out to the front lines.
- In an era before electronic banking, the commander insisted that the men receive their wages on the drum to ensure immediate payment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.