scum

Wikipedia

English

Alternative forms

• skum

Etymology

From Middle English scum, scom, from Old English *scūm (“foam”) or Middle Dutch schūme (“foam”), both from Proto-Germanic *skūmaz (“froth, foam”), from Proto-Indo-European *skeu- (“to cover, conceal”). Cognate with Dutch schuim (“foam”), German Schaum (“foam”), Danish and Swedish skum (“foam”). Compare also French écume (“scum”), Italian schiuma (“foam”) from the same Germanic source. Related to skim.

Pronunciation

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• IPA: /skʌm/
• Rhymes: -ʌm

Noun

scum (countable and uncountable; plural scums)

1. (uncountable) A layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water).
2. (uncountable) A greenish water vegetation (such as algae), usually found floating on the surface of ponds
3. The topmost liquid layer of a cesspool or septic tank.
4. (countable) (derogatory, slang) A person or persons considered to be reprehensible.

Synonyms

• (layer of impurities): dross, impurities; (on molten metal) cinder, (on molten metal) dross, (on molten metal) scoriae, (on molten metal) slag
• (derogatory, slang, person or persons considered reprehensible): bastard

Related terms

• scumbag
• scummy

Translations

A layer of impurities

Faroese: skúm (fo) n. Finnish: kuona (fi) French: écume (fr) f., couche (fr) f., mousse (fr) f., crasse (fr) f.

Greek: απόβρασμα (el) (apóvrasma) n., απόβλητο (el) (apóvlito) n. Italian: scoria (it) f.

A person or persons considered to be reprehensible

Dutch: tuig (nl) Finnish: roskaväki, pohjasakka French: ordure (fr), salaud (fr) m., racaille (fr) f. Greek: απόβρασμα (el) (apóvrasma) n., κάθαρμα (el) (kátharma) n.,

Portuguese: escória (pt) f. Russian: подлец (ru) (podléc) m., негодяй (ru) (negodjáj) m., сволочь (ru) (svóloč’) Spanish: canalla (es), escoria (es)

Verb

scum (third-person singular simple present scums, present participle scumming, simple past and past participle scummed)

1. To remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).
2. To remove (something) as scum.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.vii:

     Some scumd the drosse, that from the metall came; / Some stird the molten owre with ladles great [...].

3. (obsolete) To scour (the land, sea etc.).
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book I.13:

     Soo by Merlyns aduys ther were sente fore rydars to skumme the Countreye, & they mette with the fore rydars of the north [...].

Anagrams

• cums
• USMC