scum

scum (skʌm)

—n
1.	a layer of impure matter that forms on the surface of a liquid, often as the result of boiling or fermentation
2.	the greenish film of algae and similar vegetation surface of a stagnant pond
3.	dross, Also called: scruff the skin of oxides or impurities on the surface of a molten metal
4.	waste matter
5.	a worthless person or group of people

—vb , scums, scumming, scummed
6.	(tr) to remove scum from
7.	rare (intr) to form a layer of or become covered with scum

[C13: of Germanic origin; related to Old High German scūm, Middle Dutch schūm, Old French escume; see skim]

'scumlike

—*adj*

'scummer

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

scum

1326 (implied in scummer "shallow ladle for removing scum"), from M.Du. schume "foam, froth," from P.Gmc. *skuma- (cf. O.N. skum, O.H.G. scum, Ger. Schaum "foam, froth"), perhaps from PIE base *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal" (see hide (n.1)). Sense deteriorated from "thin layer

atop liquid" to "film of dirt," then just "dirt." Meaning "lowest class of humanity" is 1586; scum of the Earth is from 1712. Adopted in Romanic, cf. O.Fr. escume, Mod.Fr. écume, Sp. escuma, It. schiuma. Adj. scummy first attested 1577; transf. sense of "filthy, disreputable" is recorded from 1932. Slang scumbag "condom" is from 1967; meaning "despicable person" is from 1971.

Slang Dictionary

scum definition

n.
a totally worthless and disgusting person. (Rude and derogatory.) : You scum! Get out of here!
n.
low-life in general; disgusting and worthless people. (Rude and derogatory.) : Fourth Street is where all the scum in town hangs out.
n.
semen; seminal fluid. (Usually objectionable.) : You'd better clean up the scum from the backseat before you take the car home.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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