Dregs

Pronunciation: /drɛɡz/

Definitions of dregs

noun the most worthless part or parts of something

Example Sentences

A1 After drinking all the juice, only the dregs were left in the glass.

A2 She scraped the dregs of the soup from the bottom of the pot.

B1 The dregs of society often struggle to find acceptance.

B2 The dregs of the wine were bitter and unpleasant.

C1 He felt like he was at the dregs of his career, with nowhere else to go.

C2 The dregs of the coffee were so strong, they almost tasted like mud.

Examples of dregs in a Sentence

formal The dregs of the coffee sat at the bottom of the cup.

informal I always leave the dregs of my drink, I don't like the last bit.

slang He's always hanging out with the dregs of society.

figurative After the layoffs, only the dregs of the company remained.

Grammatical Forms of dregs

• plural: dregs
• comparative: more dreggy
• superlative: most dreggy
• present tense: dregs
• future tense: will dreg
• perfect tense: have dregged
• continuous tense: is dregging
• singular: dreg
• positive degree: dreggy
• infinitive: to dreg
• gerund: dregging
• participle: dregged

Origin and Evolution of dregs

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old Norse

Story behind the word: The word 'dregs' originated from Middle English 'dregges' which came from Old Norse 'dregg' meaning sediment or lees.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'dregs' has retained its original meaning of the most undesirable part of something, such as the sediment at the bottom of a liquid, but has also been used metaphorically to refer to the lowest or least desirable elements of a group or society.