Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A filmy or frothy layer of matter that forms on the surface of a liquid or body of water or on a hard surface.
- noun The refuse or dross of molten metals.
- noun Refuse or worthless matter.
- noun Slang One, such as a person or an element of society, that is regarded as despicable or worthless.
- intransitive verb To remove the scum from.
- intransitive verb To become covered with scum.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Foam; froth: as, the scum of the sea.
- noun The impurities or extraneous substances which rise to the surface of liquids, as in boiling or fermentation, or which form by other means; also, the scoria of molten metals; hence, by extension, any film or surface of foul floating matter: as, the scum of a stagnant pond.
- noun Refuse; dross; offscourings.
- To remove the scum from; clear off the froth, dross, or impurities that have risen to or formed on the surface of; skim.
- To sweep over; move swiftly upon; skim.
- To arise or be formed on the surface as foam or scum; be thrown up as scum.
- To be or become covered with scum: generally with over.
- To skim lightly: with over.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To form a scum; to become covered with scum. Also used figuratively.
- transitive verb To take the scum from; to clear off the impure matter from the surface of; to skim.
- transitive verb obsolete To sweep or range over the surface of.
- noun The extraneous matter or impurities which rise to the surface of liquids in boiling or fermentation, or which form on the surface by other means; also, the scoria of metals in a molten state; dross.
- noun refuse; recrement; anything vile or worthless.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun uncountable A layer of
impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especiallymolten metal or water). - noun uncountable A greenish water
vegetation (such asalgae ), usually found floating on the surface ofponds - noun The topmost liquid layer of a
cesspool orseptic tank . - noun countable (
derogatory ,slang ) Areprehensible person or persons. - verb To remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).
- verb To
remove (something) as scum. - verb obsolete To
scour (the land, sea etc.).
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun worthless people
- verb remove the scum from
- noun a film of impurities or vegetation that can form on the surface of a liquid
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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But then again, sometimes scum is just scum and you have to ignore such remarks, wipe the scum from the bottom of your shoe and keep moving ahead.
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"That's what they call the scum, " Palma assured his longtime colleague.
Galaxy Jane Goulart, Ron, 1933- 1986
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You don't think that "scum" is a useful agent in procreation, while the Daily Mail is an abuse of good sense and willfully lies and libels in billionaires 'interests, then?
Proof that the Daily Mail really is your Daily Scum Norfolk Blogger 2009
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Algae/scum is sure to grow on the sides and flowers usually leave behind stems leaves to away.
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Most scum, even toilet scum is better than you and embarassed to be associated with you
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Just below pond scum is the natural habitat of the GOP "leaders (?)".
First on the CNN Ticker: RNC commits nearly $1 million on health care campaign 2009
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“And you are here to help us, along with our Saxon friends,” – he held out an arm to Hengist, turning and smiling at him and the interpreter and then turning back to them – “against those invading scum from the north and against our shores.”
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The best way to beat scum is to be up front, personal, and vicious. if a few liberals cry about then tough s – t.
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“And you are here to help us, along with our Saxon friends,” – he held out an arm to Hengist, turning and smiling at him and the interpreter and then turning back to them – “against those invading scum from the north and against our shores.”
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Inspector, O/T, but would you care to comment on the strange scenes in Luton (return of the Royal Anglian Regt), where an inflammatory demo was merely contained by Plod, while two upright citizens attempting to wipe the demonstrating scum from the earth were arrested?
“Ruralshire Constabulary to get TASER on the front line” « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009
bilby commented on the word scum
"During this period (the late 1960s), Valerie Solanas wrote and self-published the work for which she is best known — a call for destruction of men and men-loving women, as well as the liberation of women, called the SCUM Manifesto. SCUM is generally held to be an acronym of "Society for Cutting Up Men," although this acronym does not appear in the manifesto itself. SCUM gained Solanas a following among some feminists."
December 9, 2007
yarb commented on the word scum
Citation on pus.
June 22, 2008