Dross
noun
Something that is not valuable or useful.
After the gold is purified, the remaining mixture is considered as dross.
Often appears as...
- separate from the dross
- purify the dross
noun
Impurities on the surface of molten metal.
The blacksmith skimmed the dross off the molten iron.
Often appears as...
- skim off the dross
- dross on the surface
Usage tips
Technical
noun
People or things that are considered unimportant or unwanted.
Politicians often disregard the opinions of what they consider the dross of society.
Often appears as...
- dross of society
- regarded as dross
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
Something that is not valuable or useful.
After the gold is purified, the remaining mixture is considered as dross.
Often appears as...
- separate from the dross
- purify the dross
noun
Impurities on the surface of molten metal.
The blacksmith skimmed the dross off the molten iron.
Often appears as...
- skim off the dross
- dross on the surface
Usage tips
Technical
noun
People or things that are considered unimportant or unwanted.
Politicians often disregard the opinions of what they consider the dross of society.
Often appears as...
- dross of society
- regarded as dross
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Value Judgment
Indicates something worthless after removing good parts.
Most of the proposal was practical, but the rest was dross.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Has a negative tone, might be rude if used to describe someone's work or ideas.
His latest novel is pure dross compared to his earlier works.
Pro Tip 3/3Abstract Use
Can refer to bad quality in abstract concepts, like music or art.
Critics called the film dross, citing its clichéd plot.
Pro Tip 1/3Value Judgment
Indicates something worthless after removing good parts.
Most of the proposal was practical, but the rest was dross.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Has a negative tone, might be rude if used to describe someone's work or ideas.
His latest novel is pure dross compared to his earlier works.
Pro Tip 3/3Abstract Use
Can refer to bad quality in abstract concepts, like music or art.
Critics called the film dross, citing its clichéd plot.
Pro Tip 1/3Value Judgment
Indicates something worthless after removing good parts.
Most of the proposal was practical, but the rest was dross.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Has a negative tone, might be rude if used to describe someone's work or ideas.
His latest novel is pure dross compared to his earlier works.
Pro Tip 3/3Abstract Use
Can refer to bad quality in abstract concepts, like music or art.
Critics called the film dross, citing its clichéd plot.
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Video examples
What I discovered in New...
They wear a uniform in many cities. You know when to expect them. And their work lets us do our work. They are almost a form of reassurance. The flow that they maintain keeps us safe from ourselves, from our own dross, our cast-offs,
Video examples
What I discovered in New...
They wear a uniform in many cities. You know when to expect them. And their work lets us do our work. They are almost a form of reassurance. The flow that they maintain keeps us safe from ourselves, from our own dross, our cast-offs,
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
John Hodgman
American Comedian
More people have more access to more readers for less money than ever before in history. It means a lot of dross; but it means a lot of very talented people can find and nurture a readership in ways that were not possible twenty years ago. From a creative perspective, that is all that writing is about.
Quote examples
Samuel E. Morison
American Historian
In any case, his judgment and set of values, acting alone or through his assistants, determine not only what is gold and what is dross but the design of the history which he creates out of the metal. The historian decides what is significant, and what is not.
Quote examples
William Godwin
English Writer
What are gold and jewels and precious utensils? Mere dross and dirt. The human face and the human heart, reciprocations of kindness and love, and all the nameless sympathies of our nature - these are the only objects worth being attached to.
Quote examples
Carl Andre
American Artist
Every time you work, you have to do it all over again, to rid yourself of this dross. I suppose for a person who is not an artist or not attempting art, it is not dross, because it is the common exchange of everyday life.
Quote examples
Larry Hagman
American Actor
I barely watch TV apart from the news. Most of it is rubbish. There's all this reality nonsense and dross. I think there's a market for a well-produced, well-written melodrama like 'Dallas.' It's pure entertainment.
Quote examples
Rick Wilson
American Author
Like all alchemists, Trump seeks to convert dross into gold, to toss a broth of his incompetence, denial, delay, deception, and failure into some supernatural alembic and extract political advantage.
Quote examples
Robert Benchley
American Comedian
At fifteen one is first beginning to realize that everything isn't money and power in this world, and is casting about for joys that do not turn to dross in one's hands.
Quote examples
Robert Green Ingersoll
American Lawyer
The sacred books of all the world are worthless dross and common stones compared with Shakespeare's glittering gold and gleaming gems.
Quote examples
Peter O'Toole
Irish Actor
There are only three indispensable things: the audience, the actor and the author. The rest is dross.
Quote examples
Paracelsus
Swiss Scientist
What the eyes perceive in herbs or stones or trees is not yet a remedy; the eyes see only the dross.
Quote examples
John Hodgman
American Comedian
More people have more access to more readers for less money than ever before in history. It means a lot of dross; but it means a lot of very talented people can find and nurture a readership in ways that were not possible twenty years ago. From a creative perspective, that is all that writing is about.
Quote examples
Samuel E. Morison
American Historian
In any case, his judgment and set of values, acting alone or through his assistants, determine not only what is gold and what is dross but the design of the history which he creates out of the metal. The historian decides what is significant, and what is not.
Quote examples
William Godwin
English Writer
What are gold and jewels and precious utensils? Mere dross and dirt. The human face and the human heart, reciprocations of kindness and love, and all the nameless sympathies of our nature - these are the only objects worth being attached to.
Quote examples
Carl Andre
American Artist
Every time you work, you have to do it all over again, to rid yourself of this dross. I suppose for a person who is not an artist or not attempting art, it is not dross, because it is the common exchange of everyday life.
Quote examples
Larry Hagman
American Actor
I barely watch TV apart from the news. Most of it is rubbish. There's all this reality nonsense and dross. I think there's a market for a well-produced, well-written melodrama like 'Dallas.' It's pure entertainment.
Quote examples
Rick Wilson
American Author
Like all alchemists, Trump seeks to convert dross into gold, to toss a broth of his incompetence, denial, delay, deception, and failure into some supernatural alembic and extract political advantage.
Quote examples
Robert Benchley
American Comedian
At fifteen one is first beginning to realize that everything isn't money and power in this world, and is casting about for joys that do not turn to dross in one's hands.
Quote examples
Robert Green Ingersoll
American Lawyer
The sacred books of all the world are worthless dross and common stones compared with Shakespeare's glittering gold and gleaming gems.
Quote examples
Peter O'Toole
Irish Actor
There are only three indispensable things: the audience, the actor and the author. The rest is dross.
Quote examples
Paracelsus
Swiss Scientist
What the eyes perceive in herbs or stones or trees is not yet a remedy; the eyes see only the dross.
Example 1 of 10
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