Crossword Genius

Colourless doctor gains a listener (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

drear

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'colourless' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'doctor gains a listener' is the wordplay.
'doctor' becomes 'dr' (abbreviation).
'gains' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a listener' becomes 'ear' (body part which hears or listens).
'dr'+'ear'='DREAR'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for drear that I've seen before include "miserable" , "grave" , "Literarily gloomy" , "Poetic dull and uninteresting" , "Gloomy and cheerless" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app