This rare noun appears with two distinct senses in Scripture. The first denotes a physical withdrawal or retreat—someone stepping back or moving away from a situation. The second, more commonly attested, refers to dross: the impurities that rise to the surface when silver is refined, representing what must be removed to achieve purity. Isaiah uses this metallurgical image to describe Israel's corruption, while Proverbs employs it in wisdom instruction about removing impurity from silver. The term's dual meaning captures both spatial withdrawal and moral separation.