▪ I. dreg, n.
Chiefly in pl. dregs (drɛgz). Forms: 3–4 drege, 4– dreg, (6 dredge, 7 dregge); pl. 4–7 dregges, (5 -is, -ys, dregys, 6 dragges), 6–7 dreggs, 6– dregs (6–7 drags, dredges).
[Probably from Norse: cf. Icel. dreggjar pl., Sw. drägg pl. dregs, lees.]
1. (Usually pl.) The sediment of liquors; the more solid particles which settle at the bottom of a solution or other liquid; grounds, lees, feculent matters. Also fig.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxxiv. 9 [lxxv. 8] Drege in him [v.r. his dreg; Vulg. fæx eius] noght is littled; drinke sal al þa sinfulle. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 397 Whil I can selle Bothe dregges and draffe and drawe it at on hole, Þikke ale and þinne ale. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 131/2 Dreggys of oyle, amurca. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 37 The drinke that they drawe [is] ouer-charged with dregges. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows i. xliii. 70 Much corruption lieth as dreggs at the bottome. 1752 Berkeley Farther Th. on Tar-water Wks. III. 493 The dregs of tar are often foul. 1809 Syd. Smith Two Vol. Serm. II. 43 The bitterest dreg in the cup of God's wrath. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 453 The other goes into a deep and narrow cistern, where the dreg again subsides. 1870 Dickens E. Drood viii, He flings the dregs of his wine at Edwin. |
b. phr. to drink, drain, etc. to the dregs, i.e. to the thick and turbid sediment: often fig.
| 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 545 The following licence of a Foreign reign Did all the dregs of bold Socinus drain. 1762 Goldsm. Cit. W. xcvii, This manner..of drawing off a subject, or a peculiar mode of writing to the dregs. 1795 Southey Vis. Maid Orleans i. 260 Destined to drain the cup of bitterness, Even to its dregs. 1813 Scott Trierm. Concl. i, To require of bard That to his dregs the tale should run. 1874 J. Stoughton Ch. of Rev. xiii. 318 This strange mortal, who had drunk the dregs of Antinomianism. |
† 2. transf. Fæces, excrement, refuse, rubbish; corrupt or defiling matters. Obs.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxxix. 3 [xl. 2] Fra þe slogh of wrecchednes, And fra fen of dreg [Vulg. fecis] þat es. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 332 Because the guts be stopt with winde and dregges. 1668 Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. i. xi. 26 The Dreggs or Excrements..did lie lurking. |
3. fig. The most worthless part or parts; the base or useless residue; the refuse or offscourings.
| 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xiv, They..neuer tasted other but the fecis or dragges of the sayd noble doctrines. 1546 Supplic. Poore Com. (E.E.T.S.) 65 Symple creatures..taken for the dregges of the worlde. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 358 Traditions of men: Mounckish vowes..pilgrimages, and innumerable such dredge. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics ix. 121 Matter is the dreg of nature, and dead without power. 1689 Hickeringill Wks. (1716) II. 495 For us who live in the Dregs of Romulus [cf. L. in Romuli fæce]. 1719 Young Revenge ii. i, Some dregs of ancient night not quite purg'd off. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. III. lxi. 320 Low mechanics..the very dregs of the fanatics. 1876 C. M. Davies Unorth. Lond. 66 The very dregs of the population. |
4. Last remains, small remnant, residue.
| 1577 Holinshed Hist. Scot. 490/1 Sore hurt..in the arme with the dredge of a caliuer shot. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iv. 124 Some certaine dregges of conscience are yet within mee. 1619 Marquis of Buckingham in Fortesc. Papers 84, I will wash away that offence..and if there shall yet remayne any dregg of it. 1685 Burnet Life Bedell Pref. (L.), This iron age and dreg of time. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 208 A dreg of the Romish superstition. 1867 G. Gilfillan Night iii. 76 The meteor..left not e'en a trace or dreg behind. |
b. The sequelæ of a disease.
| 1639 Fuller Holy War iv. xi. (1647) 187 The remnant-dregs of his disease. 1824 S. E. Ferrier Inher. xxvii, The dregs of the measles are a serious thing. |
5. sing. A small quantity or drop left; hence, depreciatively, a small quantity or ‘drop’.
| 1819 Shelley Cyclops 579 Take it and drink it off; leave not a dreg. 1821 Carlyle in Early Lett. (1886) II. 10 Make yourself a comfortable dreg. |
Hence ˈdregful a., full of dregs, dreggy; ˈdregless a., free from dregs.
| 1552 Huloet, Dreggefull or full of dregges, amaricosus. 1845 Ld. Campbell Chancellors (1857) I. xiii. 197 It passed, dregless, into the vat of our memory. |
▪ II. † dreg, v. Obs. rare.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To make dreggy; to render turbid as with dregs.
| 1627–47 Feltham Resolves i. xcv. 298 Our much use of strong Beere, and grosse Flesh, is a great occasion of dregging our spirits. 1812 Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 101 So was the finish of this scene dregged with dross. |
▪ III. dreg
obs. form of dredge.