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Scum vs Dregs - What's the difference?

scum | dregs | Synonyms |

Dregs is a synonym of scum.



As nouns the difference between scum and dregs

is that scum is a layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water) while dregs is (collectively) The sediment settled at the bottom of a liquid; the lees in a container of unfiltered wine.

As a verb scum

is to remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).

scum

English

Alternative forms

* (l)

Noun

  • (uncountable) A layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water).
  • (uncountable) A greenish water vegetation (such as algae), usually found floating on the surface of ponds
  • The topmost liquid layer of a cesspool or septic tank.
  • (uncountable, slang, chiefly US) semen
  • (countable, derogatory, slang) A reprehensible person or persons.
  • (countable, derogatory, slang) police officer(s)

    • Synonyms

    * (layer of impurities) dross, impurities * (layer of impurities on molten metal) cinder, scoriae, slag * (person considered reprehensible) bastard

    Related terms

    * scumbag * scummy

    Verb

    (scumm)
  • To remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).
  • To remove (something) as scum.
  • *1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.vii:
  • *:Some scumd the drosse, that from the metall came; / Some stird the molten owre with ladles great.
  • To become covered with scum.
  • *1769 , Elizabeth Raffald, The Experienced English House-keeper , pp.321-322:
  • *:Take the smallest Cucumbers you can get, and as free from Spots as possible, put them into a strong Salt and Water for nine or ten Days, or 'till they are quite Yellow, and stir them twice a Day at least, or they will scum over, and grow soft
  • (obsolete) To scour (the land, sea etc.).
  • *:
  • *:SOo by Merlyns aduys ther were sente fore rydars to skumme the Countreye / & they mette with the fore rydars of the north / and made hem to telle whiche wey the hooste cam / and thenne they told it to Arthur / and by kyng Ban and Bors counceill they lete brenne and destroye alle the contrey afore them there they shold ryde
  • *Milton
  • *:Wandering up and down without certain seat, they lived by scumming those seas and shores as pirates.
  • (obsolete) To gather together, as scum.
  • *1815 , Rudolf Ackerman and Frederic Shoberl, The Repository of Arts, Literature, Commerce, Manufactures, Fashions and Politics :
  • *:A great majority of the members are scummed together from the Jacobinical dregs of former periods of the revolution.
  • To startscum or savescum.

    • Anagrams

    * *

    dregs

    English

    Noun

    (en-plural noun)
  • (collectively ) The sediment settled at the bottom of a liquid; the lees in a container of unfiltered wine.
  • (figuratively, the dregs) The worst and lowest part of something.
    • the dregs of society

    Usage notes

    * The singular form dreg is far less common, but the phrase to the last dreg still has currency.

    Synonyms

    * debris, deposit, draff, dross, exuviate, feculence, grounds, grouts, lees, orts, rabble, refuse, residue, residuum, riffraff, rubbish, scum, sediment, settling, trash, loser, outcast