dronishadj.
/ˈdrəʊnɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈdroʊnɪʃ/ Of the nature of or likened to a male bee (cf. drone n.1 1); esp. living on others; lazy, indolent, sluggish, inactive; engaged in dull or repetitive activity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > [adjective]
sweerc725
foridledc1230
idlea1300
faintc1325
recrayed1340
slewful1340
nicea1398
sleuthya1400
delicate?c1400
sleuthfulc1400
slothfulc1400
sloth1412
lurdanc1480
luskinga1500
luskish15..
droning1509
bumbard?a1513
slottery1513
desidiousa1540
lazy1549
slovening1549
truanta1550
sleuth1567
litherly1573
truantly1579
dronish1580
lubberly1580
truant-like1583
shiftless1584
sluggard1594
fat1598
lusky1604
sweatless1606
clumse1611
easeful1611
loselly1611
do-littlea1613
sluggardisha1627
pigritious1638
drony1653
murcid1656
thokisha1682
shammockinga1704
indolent1710
huddroun1721
nothing-doing1724
desidiose1727
lusk1775
slack-twisted1794
sweert1817
bone-lazya1825
lurgy1828
straight-backed1830
do-nothing1832
slobbish1833
bone idle1836
slouch1837
lotophagous1841
shammocky1841
bein1847
thoky1847
lotus-eating1852
fainéant1855
sluggardly1865
lazy-boned1875
do-naught1879
easy-going1879
lazyish1892
slobbed1962
1580 E. Knight Triall of Truth f. 37 Good trauellyng Bees..more profitable then the dronishe ones.
1630 J. Taylor Laugh & be Fat in Wks. ii. 76/2 Each lumpish asse, and dronish noddie.
1714 N. Rowe Lady Jane Gray iii. i The Dronish Monks, the Scorn and Shame of Manhood.
1826 T. Hood Irish Schoolmaster xxix, in Whims & Oddities 132 Some dronish Dominie.
1903 Jrnl. Educ. 5 Nov. 304/2 The trouble with the greater number of children in our larger schools is that they never gain enthusiasm over anything. They live just ordinary, dronish, dead level lives.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 6 Aug. a1/1 Ms. Grimes is an Internet-age statistician, one of many who are changing the image of the profession as a place for dronish number nerds.
Derivatives
ˈdronishly adv. rare
ΚΠ
1611 E. Gardiner Phisicall & Approved Med. Ep. Ded. sig. A I will sit dronishly idle.
2010 Sunday Times (Nexis) 22 Aug. 16 The new graduates..would be doing dronishly dull and humdrum things for brighter, smarter kids.
ˈdronishness n. rare
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > [noun]
sleuthc888
sweernessc888
slacknessc897
unlustOE
aswolkenessc1000
slothc1175
sweeringa1300
sloth-head1303
unlusthead1340
nicetya1387
sluggardy1390
sluggardness1398
nicehead1440
musardryc1450
slugnessc1450
lashness1477
sweerdomc1480
truantness1483
passibilityc1485
sleuthfulness1488
sluggardry1513
slothfulness1526
sluggardise1532
luskishness1538
desidiousnessa1540
ocivity1550
restiness?c1550
niceness1557
laziness1580
easinessa1586
poltroonery1590
facility1615
pigritude1623
pigrity1623
otiosity1632
easefulnessa1639
dronishness1674
reasiness1679
indolence1710
accidity1730
indolency1741
lurgy1769
donothingness1814
far niente1819
oisivity1830
donothingism1839
dronage1846
lotus-eating1852
faineance1853
faineancy1854
bummerism1858
lazyhood1866
bone-laziness1875
sleevelessness1882
bummery1887
sluggardliness1977
1674 Defensio Legis 264 Their own Dronishness neglecting their Office.
2004 Jrnl. Early Republic 24 338 Why the celebration of dronishness, bachelorhood, and genius?
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1580