I. ˈdrōn noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English drān; akin to Old High German treno drone, Greek thrēnos dirge
Date: before 12th century
1. : the male of a bee (as the honeybee) that has no sting and gathers no honey
2. : one that lives on the labors of others : parasite
3. : an unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control
4.
a. : drudge 1
b. : drudge 2
II. verb
( droned ; dron·ing )
Date: circa 1520
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to make a sustained deep murmuring, humming, or buzzing sound
droning bees
b. : to talk in a persistently dull or monotonous tone
droning on and on about his health
2. : to pass, proceed, or act in a dull, drowsy, or indifferent manner
the afternoon droned on
transitive verb
1. : to utter or pronounce with a drone
2. : to pass or spend in dull or monotonous activity or in idleness
• dron·er noun
• dron·ing·ly ˈdrō-niŋ-lē adverb
III. noun
Date: circa 1520
1. : a deep sustained or monotonous sound : hum
2. : an instrument or part of an instrument (as one of the fixed-pitch pipes of a bagpipe) that sounds a continuous unvarying tone
3. : pedal point