scum

bathtub scum

A phrase applied to someone that one strongly dislikes. That guy's total bathtub scum—don't hang out with him. Anyone who would steal money from the elderly is bathtub scum, without a doubt. Rob cheated on his pregnant girlfriend? Oh, well, now I understand why you guys think he's bathtub scum.

See also: bathtub, scum

pond scum

1. A layer of freshwater algae that forms on the surface of still, stagnating water (such as a pond). I pushed him into the water, and he came out covered in slimy, stinking pond scum.

2. An extremely repugnant, vile, wretched person. You're worse than a rat, worse than a maggot—you're nothing but pond scum! I would never let my daughter date pond scum like you!

See also: pond, scum

shower scum

1. A thin white or gray film of soap, dirt, and skin cells that accumulates around the tub, tiles, or glass door of a shower. I don't think the previous owners of this place ever cleaned their bathrooms properly. The shower scum alone must have been an inch thick! This spray promises to wash away shower scum without any need to scrub!

2. An extremely repugnant, vile, wretched person. You're worse than a rat, worse than a maggot—you're nothing but shower scum! I would never let my daughter date shower scum like you!

See also: scum, shower

soap scum

1. A thin white or gray film of soap, dirt, and skin cells that accumulates around the shower, bathtub, or sink. I don't think the previous owners of this place ever cleaned their bathrooms properly. The soap scum in the bathtubs must have been an inch thick! This spray promises to wash away soap scum without any need to scrub!

2. An extremely repugnant, vile, wretched person. You're worse than a rat, worse than a maggot—you're nothing but soap scum! I would never let my daughter date soap scum like you!

See also: scum, soap

the scum of the earth

The absolute worst kind of person or people. The phrase comes from the Bible. The people who carried out those atrocities are the scum of the earth.

See also: earth, of, scum

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

the ˌscum of the ˈearth

(informal) a person or a group of people thought to be worthless, evil or completely without good qualities: Drug dealers are the scum of the earth. OPPOSITE: the salt of the earth

Scum is a layer of dirt on the surface of water.

See also: earth, of, scum

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

bathtub scum

n. a totally despised person. (see also pond scum, shower scum. Also a term of address.) Look out, bathtub scum, outa my way!

See also: bathtub, scum

pond scum

n. a mean and wretched person; a worthless male. (Collegiate. An elaboration of scum, less crude than scumbag. Also a rude term of address.) Get your hands off me, you pond scum!

See also: pond, scum

scum

1. n. a totally worthless and disgusting person. (Rude and derogatory.) You scum! Get out of here!

2. n. low-life in general; disgusting and worthless people. (Rude and derogatory.) Fourth Street is where all the scum in town hangs out.

3. n. semen; seminal fluid. (Usually objectionable.) You’d better clean up the scum from the backseat before you take the car home.

shower scum

n. a despised person; despised people. (see also bathtub scum, pond scum.) Who is the shower scum who put a cigarette butt in my houseplant?

See also: scum, shower

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.