DROSS DEFINITIONS - 11 definitions found
dross 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] dross - pudaj Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) dross noun Etymology: Middle English dros, from Old English drōs 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 English Reference Dictionary
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary dross 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 N-UNCOUNT [disapproval] English Explanatory Dictionary dross drɔs n. 1 rubbish, refuse. 2 a the scum separated from metals in melting. b foreign matter mixed with anything; impurities. øødrossy adj. [OE dros: cf. MLG drosem, OHG truosana] Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 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. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia DROSS 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). Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary Dross 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. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 44 Moby Thesaurus words for "dross": 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 |
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