Where does “finger drill” come from?

finger drill (English) comes from English drill, from Middle Dutch drillen, from Old Dutch thrillen, from Proto-Germanic þriljaną, from Proto-Indo-European ter-, from Italian termine, from Latin terminus, from Proto-Italic termenos — boundary, end.

finger drill (English): A simplified form of preparation for a task, in which a team verbally describes each portion of the task, counted sequentially (thus evoking a sense of "fingers"), rather than engaging in practice exercises or training

Definitions

  1. A simplified form of preparation for a task, in which a team verbally describes each portion of the task, counted sequentially (thus evoking a sense of "fingers"), rather than engaging in practice exercises or training

Ancestry of “finger drill”, step by step

finger drill traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English drill

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdrillTo create by removing material with a drill; To...
2Middle Dutchdrillenbore, move in a circle
3Old Dutchthrillen
4Proto-Germanicþriljaną
5Proto-Indo-Europeanter-tender, weak; young creature
6Italiantermineend, close; limit, term, date, time; term, word
7Latinterminusa boundary, limit, end
8Proto-Italictermenos
9Proto-Indo-Europeantérmn̥boundary, end

via English finger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfingerA slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other animals
2GermanFingerfinger
3Middle High Germanvingerfinger
4Old High Germanfingarfinger
5Proto-West Germanicfingrfinger
6Proto-Germanicfingrazfinger
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpenkʷrós
Every word from Proto-Indo-European térmn̥Every word from Proto-Italic termenosEvery word from Proto-Indo-European ter-