Water retention, formally known as edema, is a symptom of a number of conditions including dehydration, constipation, hormonal changes, excess sodium in the diet, heart conditions and kidney problems.
dross. n. 1. Waste or impure matter: discarded the dross after recycling the wood pulp. 2. The scum that forms on the surface of molten metal as a result of oxidation. 3. Worthless, commonplace, or trivial matter: He was wide-awake and his mind worked clearly, purged of all dross (Vladimir Nabokov).
dribs and drabs. Bits and pieces, negligible amounts, as in There's not much left, just some dribs and drabs of samples. The noun drib is thought to be a shortening of driblet, for drop or tiny quantity, dating from the early 1700s, whereas drab meaning a small sum of money dates from the early 1800s. See also: and, drab, drib.