know the drill
Familiar with routine
To know the drill is to be familiar with the standard procedure or routine, requiring no explanation: You know the drill—shoes off at the door.
The expression comes from military drilling, where soldiers practice maneuvers until they become automatic.
Someone who knows the drill has done something enough times that they understand what's expected.
- understandGrasp the meaning
- get the pictureAchieve full understanding
- familiarityKnowledge through experience
- routineRegular sequence of actions
- go through the motionsAct perfunctorily, without conviction
practice · protocol · custom · norm · par for the course · business as usual · procedure · standard operating procedure · old hat · same old same old · habit · convention · second nature · proficiency · policy · line · step · preparedness
- knowledgebook learning, encyclopedia, reference book, dictionary, thesaurus
know the drillclueless
Lacking any understanding
have no idea · learn the ropes · out of one's depth · flying blind · winging it
know, drill, knows, known, knowing, knowable, unknowing, knowledge, knowledgeable