-droney-

n. [ OE. drane a dronebee, AS. drān; akin to OS. drān, OHG. treno, G. drohne, Dan. drone, cf. Gr. &unr_; a kind of wasp, dial. Gr. &unr_; drone. Prob. named fr. the droning sound. See Drone, v. i. ] 1. (Zool.) The male of bees, esp. of the honeybee. It gathers no honey. See Honeybee. [ 1913 Webster ]

All with united force combine to drive
The lazy drones from the laborious hive. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who lives on the labors of others; a lazy, idle fellow; a sluggard. [ 1913 Webster ]

By living as a drone, to be an unprofitable and unworthy member of so noble and learned a society. Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A humming or deep murmuring sound. [ 1913 Webster ]

The monotonous drone of the wheel. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mus.) A monotonous bass, as in a pastoral composition. [ 1913 Webster ]