Adjacent Words

Dross definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DROSS, n. [G.]
1. The recrement or despumation of metals; the scum or extraneous matter of metals, thrown off in the process of melting.
2. Rust; crust of metals; an incrustation formed on metals by oxydation.
3. Waste matter; refuse; any worthless matter separated from the better part; impure matter.
The worlds glory is but dross unclean.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: worthless or dangerous material that should be removed; "there were impurities in the water" [syn: impurity, dross]
2: the scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten metals [syn: slag, scoria, dross]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English dros, from Old English dr?s dregs Date: before 12th century 1. the scum that forms on the surface of molten metal 2. waste or foreign matter ; impurity 3. something that is base, trivial, or inferior • drossy adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 rubbish, refuse. 2 a the scum separated from metals in melting. b foreign matter mixed with anything; impurities. Derivatives: drossy adj. Etymology: OE dros: cf. MLG drosem, OHG truosana

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dross Dross, n. [AS. dros, fr. dre['o]san to fall. See Dreary.] 1. The scum or refuse matter which is thrown off, or falls from, metals in smelting the ore, or in the process of melting; recrement. 2. Rust of metals. [R.] --Addison. 3. Waste matter; any worthless matter separated from the better part; leavings; dregs; refuse. All world's glory is but dross unclean. --Spenser. At the devil's booth are all things sold, Each ounce of dross coats its ounce of gold. --Lowell.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

If you describe something as dross, you mean that it is of very poor quality or has no value. (LITERARY) I go through phases where everything I write is just dross. = rubbish [disapproval]

Easton's Bible Dictionary

the impurities of silver separated from the one in the process of melting (Prov. 25:4; 26:23; Ps. 119:119). It is also used to denote the base metal itself, probably before it is smelted, in Isa. 1:22, 25.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dros (sigh): The refuse of smelting of precious metal (Pr 25:4; 26:23); used figuratively of what is base or worthless (Isa 1:22,25; Eze 22:18,19; Ps 119:119).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Scum, recrement, scoria. 2. Refuse, waste matter.

Moby Thesaurus

alluvion, alluvium, ash, ashes, brand, calx, carbon, charcoal, cinder, clinker, coal, coke, coom, deposition, deposits, diluvium, draff, dregs, ember, feces, froth, fume, grounds, lava, lees, loess, moraine, offscum, precipitate, precipitation, reek, scoria, scum, sediment, settlings, silt, sinter, slag, smoke, smudge, smut, soot, sublimate, sullage