Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • The sediment of liquors; lees; grounds; feculence; any foreign matter of liquors that subsides to the bottom of a vessel containing them.
  • Waste or worthless matter; dross; sweepings; refuse; hence, what is most vile and worthless: as, the dregs of society.
  • Solid impurities found in raw fats. W. L. Carpenter, Soap and Candles, p. 83

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun collectively The sediment settled at the bottom of a liquid; the lees in a container of unfiltered wine.
  • noun figuratively, the dregs The worst and lowest part of something.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old Norse dregg ("sediment")

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Examples

  • I took a leaf (or bag) from my pantry and filled the flavour gap with the subtly nutty Kamut flour I found there, as well as pouring in the dregs from a carton of almond milk in my fridge.

    Simply Sensational Sarah 2009

  • I took a leaf (or bag) from my pantry and filled the flavour gap with the subtly nutty Kamut flour I found there, as well as pouring in the dregs from a carton of almond milk in my fridge.

    Archive 2009-07-01 Sarah 2009

  • They applaud every utterance by the War Mongerers, the Fear Purveyors, and all the other assorted dregs from the bottom of the American political barrel.

    Think Progress » September 2004: Gingrich Blasts Critics of Iraq War Who ‘Complain We’re Not Winning Fast Enough’ 2006

  • Personally, I have no trouble letting him in, as long as Phelps and Zundel and all the other dregs are allowed to come in and speak wherever they want to whomever they want.

    Archive 2007-05-01 2007

  • The West has always been a safety valve to siphon these so-called dregs of other nations out of populated areas and prevent any social or political unrest.

    Stands a Calder Man Janet Dailey 1983

  • The West has always been a safety valve to siphon these so-called dregs of other nations out of populated areas and prevent any social or political unrest.

    Stands a Calder Man Janet Dailey 1983

  • -- These frequently remain as the so-called dregs of some illness, and are found very persistent.

    Papers on Health John Kirk

  • But the central body of European society is certainly changed; and, after all, between the scum and the dregs is the good soup.

    The Unity of Civilization Various

  • Paterfamilias is obliged to drink the cup of gaiety to the dregs, which is almost worse than being in office.

    Memoirs of the Life and Correspondence of Henry Reeve, C.B., D.C.L. In Two Volumes. Volume II. John Knox Laughton 1872

  • Buried with the dregs are the Vikings, Colts and much-hyped Eagles.

    SFGate: Don Asmussen: Bad Reporter Barry Wilner 2011

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