1. Waste or Impurities: This is the most common meaning. Dross refers to the worthless or unwanted material that remains after something valuable has been extracted. This can apply to various things:
* Metals: In metallurgy, dross is the waste material that floats on top of molten metal. It includes oxides, slag, and other impurities.
* Other substances: Dross can also refer to unwanted or unusable parts of other materials, like the sediment at the bottom of a wine bottle or the debris left behind after a fire.
2. Worthless or Useless Material: Dross can also be used metaphorically to describe something that is of low value or insignificant. This could be applied to:
* Ideas: A "dross of ideas" would refer to a collection of uninspired or unoriginal thoughts.
* People: While less common, "dross of humanity" could refer to people who are considered undesirable or immoral.
* Literature or art: Dross can be used to describe works that lack merit or are considered trashy.
Example Sentences:
* "The dross from the furnace was hauled away to the scrap yard." (Waste material)
* "He sifted through the dross of his memories, searching for a glimmer of hope." (Worthless memories)
* "The critic dismissed the film as dross." (Worthless art)
Ultimately, the meaning of "dross" depends on the context in which it is used.