Lexic.us

Definition of Drone

1. Verb. Make a monotonous low dull sound. "The harmonium was droning on"

2. Noun. Stingless male bee in a colony of social bees (especially honeybees) whose sole function is to mate with the queen.

3. Verb. Talk in a monotonous voice. "Sam and Sue drone"

4. Noun. An unchanging intonation.

5. Noun. Someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind.

6. Noun. An aircraft without a pilot that is operated by remote control.

7. Noun. A pipe of the bagpipe that is tuned to produce a single continuous tone.

Definition of Drone

1. n. The male of bees, esp. of the honeybee. It gathers no honey. See Honeybee.

2. v. i. To utter or make a low, dull, monotonous, humming or murmuring sound.

Definition of Drone

1. Noun. A male bee or wasp, which does not work but can fertilise the queen. ¹

2. Noun. (rare) Someone who doesn't work; a lazy person, an idler. ¹

3. Noun. A remotely controlled aircraft. ¹

4. Noun. A low-pitched hum or buzz. ¹

5. Noun. One who performs menial or tedious work; a drudge. ¹

6. Noun. One of the fixed-pitch pipes on a bagpipe. ¹

7. Noun. A genre of music similar to that of noise. ¹

8. Verb. To produce a low-pitched hum or buzz. ¹

9. Verb. To speak in a monotone way. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Drone

1. to make a continuous low sound [v DRONED, DRONING, DRONES]

Medical Definition of Drone

1. 1. The male of bees, especially. Of the honeybee. It gathers no honey. See Honeybee. "All with united force combine to drive The lazy drones from the laborious hive." (Dryden) 2. One who lives on the labors of others; a lazy, idle fellow; a sluggard. "By living as a drone,to be an unprofitable and unworthy member of so noble and learned a society." (Burton) 3. That which gives out a grave or monotonous tone or dull sound; as: A drum. Halliwell. The part of the bagpipe containing the two lowest tubes, which always sound the key note and the fifth. 4. A humming or deep murmuring sound. "The monotonous drone of the wheel." (Longfellow) 5. A monotonous bass, as in a pastoral composition. Origin: OE. Drane a dronebee, AS. Dran; akin to OS. Dran, OHG. Treno, G. Drohne, Dan. Drone, cf. Gr. A kind of wasp, dial. Gr. Drone. Prob. Named fr. The droning sound. See Drone. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Drone

dromomania dromon dromond dromonds dromons dromos dromostanolone propionate dromotropic dromæognathism dromæognathous

dromæosaur dromæosaurid dromæosaurids dromæosaurs dronabinol drone (current term) drone bee drone fly drone on drone pipe

droned dronedarone dronelike dronepipe dronepipes droner droners drones droney drongo

Literary usage of Drone

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. United States Supreme Court Reports by Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, United States Supreme Court (1888)
"Ch. Pr. 563; drone, Copyright, 534; U. 8. v. Saline Bank of Va. 26 U.'S. 1 Pet. ... drone, Copyright, 144, 157; 2 Morgan, Law of Literature, ..."

2. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (1922)
"THE querulous drone ceased as I entered Frome's kitchen, and of the two women sitting there I could not tell which had been the speaker. ..."

3. The Bee-keepers' Guide: Or Manual of the Apiary by Albert John Cook (1882)
"After mating, the drone organs adhere to the queen, and may be seen hanging to ... By holding a drone in the hand, the ejection of the sex-organs is often ..."

4. The Honey-makers by Margaret Warner Morley (1899)
"IX THE drone THE drone occupies a position that is unique, but not enviable. ... I would be loath To be a burden, or feed like a drone On the industrious ..."

5. One Hundred Fables, Original and Selected by James Northcote, William Harvey (1829)
"THE SNAIL AND THE drone. T chanced that a drone observed a Snail labouring his tedious journey with tardy pace: " I marvel," said the drone, " how you have ..."

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