drudge (v.)

late 14c., druggen, "work hard, especially at servile, monotonous, or uninteresting work," (and compare druggunge, mid-13c.), probably from a variant of Old English dreogan"to work, suffer, endure," from Proto-Germanic *dreugana (source also of Old Saxon driogan, Old Norse drygja "to carry out, accomplish," Gothic driugan "serve as a soldier"). Related: Drudged; drudging. The surname is from 13c., probably unrelated, from Old French dragie "a mixture of grains sown together," thus, a grower of this crop.

late 15c., "one employed in mean, servile, or distasteful work, one who toils at uninteresting employments," from drudge (v.).