John Hodgman

More people have more access to more readers for less money than ever before in history. It means a lot of dross; but it means a lot of very talented people can find and nurture a readership in ways that were not possible twenty years ago. From a creative perspective, that is all that writing is about.

American Comedian

Samuel E. Morison

In any case, his judgment and set of values, acting alone or through his assistants, determine not only what is gold and what is dross but the design of the history which he creates out of the metal. The historian decides what is significant, and what is not.

American Historian

William Godwin

What are gold and jewels and precious utensils? Mere dross and dirt. The human face and the human heart, reciprocations of kindness and love, and all the nameless sympathies of our nature - these are the only objects worth being attached to.

English Writer

Carl Andre

Every time you work, you have to do it all over again, to rid yourself of this dross. I suppose for a person who is not an artist or not attempting art, it is not dross, because it is the common exchange of everyday life.

American Artist

Larry Hagman

I barely watch TV apart from the news. Most of it is rubbish. There's all this reality nonsense and dross. I think there's a market for a well-produced, well-written melodrama like 'Dallas.' It's pure entertainment.

American Actor

Rick Wilson

Like all alchemists, Trump seeks to convert dross into gold, to toss a broth of his incompetence, denial, delay, deception, and failure into some supernatural alembic and extract political advantage.

American Author

Robert Benchley

At fifteen one is first beginning to realize that everything isn't money and power in this world, and is casting about for joys that do not turn to dross in one's hands.

Robert Green Ingersoll

The sacred books of all the world are worthless dross and common stones compared with Shakespeare's glittering gold and gleaming gems.

American Lawyer

Peter O'Toole

There are only three indispensable things: the audience, the actor and the author. The rest is dross.

Irish Actor

Paracelsus

What the eyes perceive in herbs or stones or trees is not yet a remedy; the eyes see only the dross.

Swiss Scientist

Indicates something worthless after removing good parts.

Value Judgment

Has a negative tone, might be rude if used to describe someone's work or ideas.

Negative Connotation

Can refer to bad quality in abstract concepts, like music or art.

Abstract Use

Used in metallurgy, often unfamiliar outside this industry.

Technical Term

Sometimes used metaphorically to mean removing unessential elements.

Metaphorical Usage

In society, refers to people or groups unfairly deemed unimportant.

Social Context

Shows speaker's low opinion of what's being called dross.

Criticism or Disdain

 They wear a uniform in many cities. You know when to expect them. And their work lets us do our work. They are almost a form of reassurance. The flow that they maintain keeps us safe from ourselves, from our own dross, our cast-offs,

Dross