A dialectal or archaic term for a wretched or despicable person; also can mean filth or filthy matter.
From Middle English, possibly related to 'dreg' or words meaning 'filth.' The exact origin is unclear, but it appears in regional dialects of English, particularly in Northern England and Scotland, as a pejorative term.
This word is a perfect example of how English keeps 'insult words' in regional dialects long after they disappear from standard English—different regions had their own creative vocabulary for calling people names.
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