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Pith vs Dross - What's the difference?

pith | dross |

As a noun pith

is the soft, spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees.

As a verb pith

is to extract the pith from (a plant stem or tree).

As an adjective dross is

brave, fearless, confident.

pith

English

Noun

(-)
  • The soft, spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees.
  • The spongy interior substance of a feather.
  • The spinal cord; the marrow.
  • (figuratively) The essential or vital part.
    • The pith of my idea is truth.
  • * Shakespeare
    • enterprises of great pith and moment

    Synonyms

    * (essential or necessary part) core, essence, general tenor, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, nitty-gritty, nub, quintessence, soul, spirit, stuff, substance

    Related terms

    * pith helmet * pithy * pith and substance

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To extract the pith from (a plant stem or tree).
  • To kill (especially cattle or laboratory animals) by cutting or piercing the spinal cord.

    • dross

    English

    (wikipedia dross)

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Noun

    (drosses)
  • Waste or impure matter
  • Worthless or trivial matter
  • Residue that forms on the surface of a metal from oxidation
  • The impurities in metal
  • A waste product from working with metal

    • Quotations

    * (English Citations of "dross")

    Derived terms

    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Verb

    (es)
  • To remove dross from.

    • Anagrams

    * ----