dreg

American  

[dreg] / drɛg /

noun

1. dregs, the sediment of liquids; lees; grounds.

2. Usually dregs. the least valuable part of anything.

   the dregs of society.

3. a small remnant; any small quantity.

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dreg British  

/ drɛɡ /

noun

1. a small quantity See also dregs

   not a dreg of pity

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Etymology

Origin of dreg

1250–1300; Middle English < Old Norse dreg yeast (plural dreggjar dregs); cognate with Old Swedish dräg dregs

Example Sentences

But their pacemen, despite summoning up every last dreg of energy, were not quite disciplined enough on a sluggish track.

From The Guardian • Mar. 24, 2011

He out-aced the game's best server of recent times 24-9 and drained the American's legendary fighting spirit to the last dreg to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

From The Guardian • Jan. 23, 2011

Without a clan system or union contact or a family, Nailer and Nita were left with the dreg work, running messages, hauling small items, begging.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Pike thought to look up just as I was pouring the bucket of dreg onto him from the edge of the low roof above.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

That friend, the spirit of thy theme Extracting for your ease, Will leave to me the dreg, in thoughts Too common; such as these.

From The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes Volume the Eighth: The Lives of the Poets, Volume II by Johnson, Samuel