GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Drone , n. [OE. drane a dronebee, AS. drān; akin to OS. drān, OHG. treno, G. drohne, Dan.  drone, cf. Gr.  a kind of wasp, dial. Gr.  drone. Prob. named fr. the droning sound. See Drone, v. i.]
   (Zool.) The male of bees, esp. of the honeybee. It gathers no honey. See Honeybee.
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   All with united force combine to drive
   The lazy drones from the laborious hive.
   Dryden.
   
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   One who lives on the labors of others; a lazy, idle fellow; a sluggard.
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   By living as a drone,to be an unprofitable and unworthy member of so noble and learned a society.
    Burton.
   
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   That which gives out a grave or monotonous tone or dull sound; as: (a) A drum. [Obs.] Halliwell. (b) The part of the bagpipe containing the two lowest tubes, which always sound the key note and the fifth.
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   A humming or deep murmuring sound.
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   The monotonous drone of the wheel.
   Longfellow.
   
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   (Mus.) A monotonous bass, as in a pastoral composition.
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2.       
   Drone , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Droned ; p. pr. & vb. n. Droning.] [Cf. (for sense 1) D. dreunen, G. dröhnen, Icel. drynja to roar, drynr a roaring, Sw. dröna to bellow, drone, Dan. dröne, Goth. drunjus sound, Gr.  dirge,  to cry aloud, Skr. dhran to sound.  Cf. Drone, n.]
   To utter or make a low, dull, monotonous, humming or murmuring sound.
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   Where the beetle wheels his droning flight.
   T. Gray.
   
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   To love in idleness; to do nothing. “Race of droning kings.”  
   Dryden.
   
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