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View synonyms for dross

dross

[ draws, dros ]

noun

  1. waste matter; refuse.
  2. Metallurgy. a waste product taken off molten metal during smelting, essentially metallic in character.
  3. British. coal of little value.


dross

/ drɒs /

noun

  1. the scum formed, usually by oxidation, on the surfaces of molten metals
  2. worthless matter; waste
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈdrossy, adjective
  • ˈdrossiness, noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dross1

before 1050; Middle English dros ( se ), Old English drōs; cognate with Middle Dutch droes dregs; compare Middle English drōsen, Old English drōsna; cognate with Middle High German truosen husks
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dross1

Old English drōs dregs; related to Old High German truosana
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Example Sentences

As I’ve written before, the concentration of wealth in America has reached levels that make the gilt of the 19th century Gilded Age look like dross.

West Indies moved ahead, Root was asked to bowl some off-spin dross into the pads of Da Silva, who swept three fours and hit a six over long-on.

From BBC

But to appreciate the treasure it becomes, you have to understand the dross from which it came.

“The dross of everyday life is very, very powerful and very strong. So you need to protect your special relationship with your music.”

"When one has paid tribute to their ability to turn such dross into gold, a major question remains. If they win at Wembley, what will it do to English football?"

From BBC

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