Scum
noun
A layer of dirt or froth on the surface of a liquid.
The scum on the surface of the pond needs to be cleaned.
noun
Generally, it refers to people who are considered irresponsible, dishonest, or socially unacceptable.
The criminals are considered as scum in society.
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
noun
A layer of dirt or froth on the surface of a liquid.
The scum on the surface of the pond needs to be cleaned.
noun
Generally, it refers to people who are considered irresponsible, dishonest, or socially unacceptable.
The criminals are considered as scum in society.
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Literal meaning
Scum refers to actual physical dirt on liquids like water or soup.
You'll need to skim the scum off the top of the boiling broth.
Pro Tip 2/3Cleaning context
Scum is often mentioned when discussing cleaning fish tanks, ponds, or cooking pots.
After the fish tank was cleaned, there was no scum left.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative perception
When 'scum' refers to dirt, it suggests neglect or unclean conditions.
The bathtub is filthy with soap scum.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal meaning
Scum refers to actual physical dirt on liquids like water or soup.
You'll need to skim the scum off the top of the boiling broth.
Pro Tip 2/3Cleaning context
Scum is often mentioned when discussing cleaning fish tanks, ponds, or cooking pots.
After the fish tank was cleaned, there was no scum left.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative perception
When 'scum' refers to dirt, it suggests neglect or unclean conditions.
The bathtub is filthy with soap scum.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal meaning
Scum refers to actual physical dirt on liquids like water or soup.
You'll need to skim the scum off the top of the boiling broth.
Pro Tip 2/3Cleaning context
Scum is often mentioned when discussing cleaning fish tanks, ponds, or cooking pots.
After the fish tank was cleaned, there was no scum left.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative perception
When 'scum' refers to dirt, it suggests neglect or unclean conditions.
The bathtub is filthy with soap scum.
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Video examples
Dead stuff: The secret...
with dead matter supporting that network at every step. The resulting food web is so connected that almost every species is no more than two degrees from detritus, even us humans. You probably don't eat rotting things, poop, or pond scum directly, but your food sources probably do.
Video examples
What I learned at...
care if it's unstable it's just beta test it with the real population in my case I'm ready to go I've learned that all living things must die except pond scum okay when this I've learned if you are in incredible physical shape Ironman shape you can strap some small jet
Video examples
The science of cells...
Will we invest in the next young woman or man peering through a microscope at the next little critter, the next bit of pond scum, curious about a question we don't even know today is a question? It could be a great question that could impact all the world.
Video examples
Mars Up Close, Part 4:...
which is really key for protecting an atmosphere and preventing it from being ionized away by the galactic cosmic rays and the solar energetic particles all of which can do your atmosphere dirt until you are left with this thin little scum of air,
Video examples
Experiments that point...
fortunate to have had this magnificent students and post doc who have taught me so much and I have had many of these scum angle they are the future and I try to make them not be afraid of being the cat and being told don't think outside
Video examples
Flamingo Attacked by...
they also need to avoid burning too many calories feeding while swimming in deep water swinging your head like this uses a lot of energy feeding while standing is a lot less effort and closer to shore where the wind has blown the scum
Video examples
Where Does Your Sewage...
tanks now very basically it enters at that end and flows relatively slowly this way over the top of each tank is a moving bridge which has two blades to remove a solid organic material from the sewage the top blade skims scum from the
Video examples
Kevin Kelly: How...
swallowed the acid, has not yet taken in the brown-green algae pond scum into its body to give it energy. These are hacks, and if we looked at the general shape of the approaches to hacking life there are, current consensus,
Video examples
Paul Sereno: What can...
Sixty-five million years ago, a very important and catastrophic event changed the course of life on land. And although we know that the land animals I'm going to talk about are just the scum of the Earth on the land --
Video examples
David Deutsch: Chemical...
Well, is this a typical place? Well, let's look around, you know, look in a random direction, and we see a wall and chemical scum -- and that's not typical of the universe at all.
Video examples
Dead stuff: The secret...
with dead matter supporting that network at every step. The resulting food web is so connected that almost every species is no more than two degrees from detritus, even us humans. You probably don't eat rotting things, poop, or pond scum directly, but your food sources probably do.
Video examples
What I learned at...
care if it's unstable it's just beta test it with the real population in my case I'm ready to go I've learned that all living things must die except pond scum okay when this I've learned if you are in incredible physical shape Ironman shape you can strap some small jet
Video examples
The science of cells...
Will we invest in the next young woman or man peering through a microscope at the next little critter, the next bit of pond scum, curious about a question we don't even know today is a question? It could be a great question that could impact all the world.
Video examples
Mars Up Close, Part 4:...
which is really key for protecting an atmosphere and preventing it from being ionized away by the galactic cosmic rays and the solar energetic particles all of which can do your atmosphere dirt until you are left with this thin little scum of air,
Video examples
Experiments that point...
fortunate to have had this magnificent students and post doc who have taught me so much and I have had many of these scum angle they are the future and I try to make them not be afraid of being the cat and being told don't think outside
Video examples
Flamingo Attacked by...
they also need to avoid burning too many calories feeding while swimming in deep water swinging your head like this uses a lot of energy feeding while standing is a lot less effort and closer to shore where the wind has blown the scum
Video examples
Where Does Your Sewage...
tanks now very basically it enters at that end and flows relatively slowly this way over the top of each tank is a moving bridge which has two blades to remove a solid organic material from the sewage the top blade skims scum from the
Video examples
Kevin Kelly: How...
swallowed the acid, has not yet taken in the brown-green algae pond scum into its body to give it energy. These are hacks, and if we looked at the general shape of the approaches to hacking life there are, current consensus,
Video examples
Paul Sereno: What can...
Sixty-five million years ago, a very important and catastrophic event changed the course of life on land. And although we know that the land animals I'm going to talk about are just the scum of the Earth on the land --
Video examples
David Deutsch: Chemical...
Well, is this a typical place? Well, let's look around, you know, look in a random direction, and we see a wall and chemical scum -- and that's not typical of the universe at all.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Noreena Hertz
English Author
Debt vultures are really the scum at the bottom of the pond. These are guys who buy up the debts of the world's poorest countries on the secondary market. You can go buy debts of a country like Peru, for example, at a real discount. Why? Because people think that the debts won't be repaid.
Quote examples
Lloyd Kaufman
American Director
The thing I find about the movie industry is that 99 percent of the people are absolute scum. They're horrible people, they really are. Very nasty killer rabbits who hate movies. But the other 1 percent are really the greatest, most wonderful people in the world.
Quote examples
Peter Kropotkin
Russian Revolutionary
America is just the country that how all the written guarantees in the world for freedom are no protection against tyranny and oppression of the worst kind. There the politician has come to be looked upon as the very scum of society.
Quote examples
The Miz
American Wrestler
Whenever you're on a reality show, you're the scum of the earth. You have no talent, you're a nothing, and you deserve nothing.
Quote examples
Watkin Tudor Jones
South African Musician
Zef is like dirt, it's like scum. There was no zef movement before we came along.
Quote examples
A. P. Herbert
English Novelist
I am sure that the party system is right and necessary. There must be some scum.
Quote examples
Steve Albini
American Musician
By now all rock bands are wise enough to be suspicious of music industry scum.
Quote examples
Duke of Wellington
British Public Servant
Our army is composed of the scum of the earth - the mere scum of the earth.
Quote examples
Frank Dobson
British Politician
All businessmen are scum.
Quote examples
Bruce Grobbelaar
Zimbabwean Athlete
I don't talk to scum.
Quote examples
Noreena Hertz
English Author
Debt vultures are really the scum at the bottom of the pond. These are guys who buy up the debts of the world's poorest countries on the secondary market. You can go buy debts of a country like Peru, for example, at a real discount. Why? Because people think that the debts won't be repaid.
Quote examples
Lloyd Kaufman
American Director
The thing I find about the movie industry is that 99 percent of the people are absolute scum. They're horrible people, they really are. Very nasty killer rabbits who hate movies. But the other 1 percent are really the greatest, most wonderful people in the world.
Quote examples
Peter Kropotkin
Russian Revolutionary
America is just the country that how all the written guarantees in the world for freedom are no protection against tyranny and oppression of the worst kind. There the politician has come to be looked upon as the very scum of society.
Quote examples
The Miz
American Wrestler
Whenever you're on a reality show, you're the scum of the earth. You have no talent, you're a nothing, and you deserve nothing.
Quote examples
Watkin Tudor Jones
South African Musician
Zef is like dirt, it's like scum. There was no zef movement before we came along.
Quote examples
A. P. Herbert
English Novelist
I am sure that the party system is right and necessary. There must be some scum.
Quote examples
Steve Albini
American Musician
By now all rock bands are wise enough to be suspicious of music industry scum.
Quote examples
Duke of Wellington
British Public Servant
Our army is composed of the scum of the earth - the mere scum of the earth.
Quote examples
Frank Dobson
British Politician
All businessmen are scum.
Quote examples
Bruce Grobbelaar
Zimbabwean Athlete
I don't talk to scum.
Example 1 of 10
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