To speak in a dull, monotonous way or to make a prolonged droning sound.
From Middle Dutch 'drenten' meaning to drone or drawl. Related to Old Norse 'dren' (to roar). The word evolved from onomatopoeia imitating monotonous speech sounds.
This word is a linguistic fossil—it's one of the few English words that directly imitates the *feeling* of boredom itself, which is why it naturally describes dull speakers. Most people have never heard it, but medieval scholars used it to mock boring preachers.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.