This vertical distance is known as a residual. For data points above the line, the residual is positive, and for data points below the line, the residual is negative. For example, the residual for the point (4, 3) is − 2 : The closer a data point's residual is to 0, the better the fit.

The grill was covered in a greasy residue from the hamburgers. The divorce left a residue of pain in the family. There was some kind of sticky residue on the floor. She left the residue of her estate to her daughter.

She cut off the best meat and threw away the residue. The white residue in/on the kettle is a result of minerals in the water.