Printer Friendly
The Free Dictionary
898,800,875 visitors served.
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

dregs

   Also found in: Acronyms 0.02 sec.
dregs
Noun, pl
1. solid particles that settle at the bottom of some liquids
2. the dregs the worst or most despised elements: the dregs of colonial society [Old Norse dregg]

Dregs refuse; rubbish; lowest form of human life; anything thrown away—Johnson, 1755.
Examples: dregs of conscience, 1597; of disease, 1639; of noble doctrines, 1531; of fanatics, 1761; of the measles, 1824; of nature, 1675; of ancient night, 1719; of oil, 1440; of the population, 1867; of refuse, 1531; of Romish superstition, 1789; of tar, 1752; of time, 1685; of wine, 1870; of the world, 1546.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.dregs - sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one
grounds - dregs consisting of solid particles (especially of coffee) that form a residue; "it is a Middle Eastern custom to read your future in your coffee grounds"
sediment, deposit - matter that has been deposited by some natural process

dregs
plural noun 1. sediment, grounds, lees, waste, deposit, trash, residue, scum, dross, residuum, scourings, draff >> the dregs 2. Brit. (informal) scum, outcasts, rabble, down-and-outs, good-for-nothings, riffraff, canaille (French) ragtag and bobtail
Translations
Spanish dregs [drɛgz] nplheces fpl
French dregs [drɛgz] npllie f
German dregs [drɛgz] nplBodensatz m;
(of humanity) → Abschaum m

Italian dregs [drɛgz] nplfeccia

?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Ye are the best braggarts, and have sufficiently learned the art of making dregs boil.
I believe, first, that neither a leader nor any decisive action can come out of the dregs of a people.
My state of mind regarding the pilfering from which I had been so unexpectedly exonerated, did not impel me to frank disclosure; but I hope it had some dregs of good at the bottom of it.
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2008 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.