Scum vs Rubbish - What's the difference?
scum | rubbish |
(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)
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.
(chiefly, AU, NZ, British, colloquial) Exceedingly bad; awful; terrible; crappy.
(colloquial) Expresses that something is exceedingly bad, terrible or awful.
Expresses that what was recently said is untruth or nonsense.
Garbage, junk, refuse, waste.
Nonsense.
Fragments of buildings; ruins; debris.
* Dryden
To denounce, to criticise, to denigrate, to disparage.
As nouns the difference between scum and rubbish
is that scum is (uncountable) a layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water) while rubbish is garbage, junk, refuse, waste.As verbs the difference between scum and rubbish
is that scum is to remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc) while rubbish is to denounce, to criticise, to denigrate, to disparage.As an adjective rubbish is
(chiefly|au|nz|british|colloquial) exceedingly bad; awful; terrible; crappy.As an interjection rubbish is
(colloquial) expresses that something is exceedingly bad, terrible or awful.scum
English
Alternative forms
* (l)Noun
Synonyms
* (layer of impurities) dross, impurities * (layer of impurities on molten metal) cinder, scoriae, slag * (person considered reprehensible) bastardVerb
(scumm)Anagrams
* *rubbish
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- This has been a rubbish day, and it's about to get worse: my mother-in-law is coming to stay.
Interjection
- The one day I actually practice my violin, the teacher cancels the lesson.
- Aw, rubbish ! Though at least this means you have time to play football...
- Rubbish! I did nothing of the sort!
Synonyms
* (expresses that what was recently said is untruth or nonsense) nonsense, bullshit, bollocksNoun
(wikipedia rubbish) (-)- The rubbish is collected every Thursday in Gloucester, but on Wednesdays in Cheltenham.
- Everything the teacher said during that lesson was rubbish . How can she possibly think that a bass viol and a cello are the same thing?
- He saw the town's one half in rubbish lie.
