drone

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

OXFORD DICTIONARY

drone, n. & v.
--n.
1 a non-working male of the honey-bee, whose sole function is to mate with fertile females.
2 an idler.
3 a deep humming sound.
4 a monotonous speech or speaker.
5 a a pipe, esp. of a bagpipe, sounding a continuous note of fixed low pitch. b the note emitted by this.
6 a remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or missile.
--v.
1 intr. make a deep humming sound.
2 intr. & tr. speak or utter monotonously.
3 a intr. be idle. b tr. (often foll. by away) idle away (one's time etc.).

Etymology

OE dran, dr{aelig}n prob. f. WG

THESAURUS

drone

Indian file, accompaniment, alliteration, alto, array, articulation, assonance, bagpipe, bagpipes, bank, baritone, bass, basso continuo, basso ostinato, bassus, bee, beggar, birr, blubber, bombilate, bombinate, boom, bourdon, bum, bumble, bumblebee, bummer, burden, burr, buzz, cadger, canto, cantus, cantus figuratus, cantus planus, catena, catenation, chain, chain reaction, chaining, chanter, chest voice, chime, clockwork regularity, coloratura, concatenation, connection, consecution, constancy, continue the same, continuo, continuum, contralto, cornemuse, coupon clippers, course, cycle, daily round, dawdle, dawdler, descant, descent, dingdong, doodlesack, drag along, drag on, drone bass, droning, endless belt, endless round, even pace, even tenor, falsetto, figured bass, file, filiation, foot-dragger, freeloader, gabble, gamut, gibber, gibbering, goldbrick, goof-off, gradation, ground bass, harping, head voice, honeybee, hornet, hum, humdrum, idle rich, invariability, jabber, jibber, jingle, jingle-jangle, laggard, lallygag, laze, leisure class, lie-abed, line, lineage, lingerer, loaf, loiter, loiterer, loll, lounge, lounge lizard, lumpen proletariat, maunder, maundering, mendicant, monologue, monotone, monotonousness, monotony, moocher, mouth, mouthing, mumble, mumbling, murmur, murmuring, musette, mutter, muttering, near rhyme, nexus, nonworker, orderliness, panhandler, parasite, part, pendulum, periodicity, persist, pipes, pitter-patter, plain chant, plain song, plenum, plodder, powder train, prevail, prick song, procrastinator, progression, purr, queen, queen bee, queue, range, rank, recurrence, regularity, rentiers, repeated sounds, repetitiousness, repetitiveness, reticulation, rhyme, rotation, round, routine, row, run, run through, sameliness, sameness, scale, sequence, series, single file, singsong, slant rhyme, sleepyhead, slow goer, slow-foot, slowbelly, slowpoke, slug, sluggard, smoothness, snail, sob, soprano, sordellina, speak incoherently, spectrum, spiv, splutter, sponger, sputter, stale repetition, stick-in-the-mud, string, strum, succession, susurrate, susurration, swath, tedium, tenor, the unemployable, the unemployed, thorough bass, thread, thrum, tier, tortoise, train, treadmill, treble, trot, undersong, undeviation, undifferentiation, union pipes, unnecessary repetition, unvariation, voce, voce di petto, voce di testa, voice, voice part, wasp, whir, whisper, whispering, whiz, windrow, worker, yellow jacket

ROGET THESAURUS

drone

Inactivity

N inactivity, inaction, inertness, obstinacy, lull, quiescence, rust, rustiness, idleness, remissness, sloth, indolence, indiligence, dawdling, ergophobia, otiosity, dullness, languor, segnity, segnitude, lentor, sluggishness, procrastination, torpor, torpidity, torpescence, stupor, somnolence, drowsiness, nodding, oscitation, oscitancy, pandiculation, hypnotism, lethargy, statuvolence heaviness, heavy eyelids, sleep, slumber, sound sleep, heavy sleep, balmy sleep, Morpheus, Somnus, coma, trance, ecstasis, dream, hibernation, nap, doze, snooze, siesta, wink of sleep, forty winks, snore, hypnology, dull work, pottering, relaxation, Castle of Indolence, lullaby, sedative, tranquilizer, hypnotic, sleeping pill, relaxant, anaesthetic, general anaesthetic, torpedo, idler, drone, droil, dawdle, mopus, do- little faineant, dummy, sleeping partner, afternoon farmer, truant, bummer, loafer, goldbrick, goldbicker, lounger, lazzarone, lubber, lubbard, slow coach (slow, ), opium eater, lotus eater, slug, lag, sluggard, slugabed, slumberer, dormouse, marmot, waiter on Providence, fruges consumere natus, inactive, motionless, unoccupied, unbusied, indolent, lazy, slothful, idle, lusk, remiss, slack, inert, torpid, sluggish, otiose, languid, supine, heavy, dull, leaden, lumpish, exanimate, soulless, listless, drony, dronish, lazy as Ludlam's dog, dilatory, laggard, lagging, slow, rusty, flagging, lackadaisical, maudlin, fiddle-faddle, pottering, shilly-shally, sleeping asleep, fast asleep, dead asleep, sound asleep, in a sound sleep, sound as a top, dormant, comatose, in the arms of Morpheus, in the lap of Morpheus, sleepy, sleepful, dozy, drowsy, somnolent, torpescent, lethargic, lethargical, somnifacient, statuvolent, statuvolic, heavy, heavy with sleep, napping, somnific, somniferous, soporous, soporific, soporiferous, hypnotic, balmy, dreamy, unawakened, unawakened, sedative, inactively, at leisure, the eyes begin to draw straws, bankrupt of life yet prodigal of ease, better 50 years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay, idly busy rolls their world away, the mystery of folded sleep, the timely dew of sleep, thou driftest gently down the tides of sleep, tired Nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep.

Ululation

N ululation, cry, crying, bowwow, ululation, latration, belling, reboation, wood-note, insect cry, fritiniancy, drone, screech owl, cuckoo, wailing (lamentation), crying, blatant, latrant, remugient, mugient, deep-mouthed, full-mouthed, rebellowing, reboant, in full cry, (iii) MUSICAL SOUNDS.

Concord

N concord, accord, harmony, symphony, homologue, agreement, sympathy, empathy, response, union, unison, unity, bonds of harmony, peace, unanimity, league, happy family, rapprochement, reunion, amity, alliance, entente cordiale, good understanding, conciliation, peacemaker, intercessor, mediator, concordant, congenial, agreeing, in accord, harmonious, united, cemented, banded together, allied, friendly, fraternal, conciliatory, at one with, of one mind, at peace, in still water, tranquil, with one voice, in concert with, hand in hand, on one's side, commune periculum concordiam parit, melody concord, melody, rhythm, measure, rhyme, pitch, timbre, intonation, tone, scale, gamut, diapason, diatonic chromatic scale, enharmonic scale, key, clef, chords, modulation, temperament, syncope, syncopation, preparation, suspension, resolution, staff, stave, line, space, brace, bar, rest, appoggiato, appoggiatura, acciaccatura, note, musical note, notes of a scale, sharp, flat, natural, high note, low note, interval, semitone, second, third, fourth, diatessaron, breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, demisemiquaver, hemidemisemiquaver, sustained note, drone, burden, tonic, key note, leading note, fundamental note, supertonic, mediant, dominant, submediant, subdominant, octave, tetrachord, major key, minor key, major scale, minor scale, major mode, minor mode, passage, phrase, concord, harmony, emmeleia, unison, unisonance, chime, homophony, euphony, euphonism, tonality, consonance, consent, part, harmony, harmonics, thorough-bass, fundamental-bass, counterpoint, faburden, piece of music, composer, harmonist, contrapuntist (musician), harmonious, harmonical, in concord, in tune, in concert, unisonant, concentual, symphonizing, isotonic, homophonous, assonant, ariose, consonant, measured, rhythmical, diatonic, chromatic, enharmonic, melodious, musical, melic, tuneful, tunable, sweet, dulcet, canorous, mellow, mellifluous, soft, clear, clear as a bell, silvery, euphonious, euphonic, euphonical, symphonious, enchanting fine-toned, full-toned, silver-toned, harmoniously, in harmony, as one, the hidden soul of harmony.

Music

N music, concert, strain, tune, air, melody, aria, arietta, piece of music, work, number, opus, sonata, rondo, rondeau, pastorale, cavatina, roulade, fantasia, concerto, overture, symphony, variations, cadenza, cadence, fugue, canon, quodlibet, serenade, notturno, dithyramb, opera, operetta, oratorio, composition, movement, stave, passamezzo, toccata, Vorspiel, instrumental music, full score, minstrelsy, tweedledum and tweedledee, band, orchestra, concerted piece, potpourri, capriccio, vocal music, vocalism, chaunt, chant, psalm, psalmody, hymn, song, canticle, canzonet, cantata, bravura, lay, ballad, ditty, carol, pastoral, recitative, recitativo, solfeggio, Lydian measures, slow music, slow movement, adagio, minuet, siren strains, soft music, lullaby, dump, dirge, pibroch, martial music, march, dance music, waltz, solo, duet, duo, trio, quartet, quartett, septett, part song, descant, glee, madrigal, catch, round, chorus, chorale, antiphon, antiphony, accompaniment, second, bass, score, bourdon, drone, morceau, terzetto, composer, musician, musical, instrumental, vocal, choral, lyric, operatic, harmonious, Wagnerian, adagio, largo, larghetto, andante, andantino, alla capella, maestoso, moderato, allegro, allegretto, spiritoso, vivace, veloce, presto, prestissimo, con brio, capriccioso, scherzo, scherzando, legato, staccato, crescendo, diminuendo, rallentando, affettuoso, obbligato, pizzicato, desto, in notes by distance made more sweet, like the faint exquisite music of a dream, music arose with its voluptuous swell, music is the universal language of mankind, music's golden tongue, the speech of angels, will sing the savageness out of a bear, music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.