dirt

[ durt ]

noun

1. any foul or filthy substance, as mud, grime, dust, or excrement.
2. earth or soil, especially when loose.
3. something or someone vile, mean, or worthless:

   After that last outburst of hers I thought she was dirt.

4. moral filth; vileness; corruption.
5. obscene or lewd language:

   to talk dirt.

6. Informal. gossip, especially of a malicious, lurid, or scandalous nature:

   Tell me all the latest dirt.

   Synonyms: scuttlebutt, rumor, slander, scandal

7. private or personal information which if made public would create a scandal or ruin the reputation of a person, company, etc.
8. Mining.
   1. crude, broken ore or waste.
   2. (in placer mining) the material from which gold is separated by washing.

dirt

/ dɜːt /

noun

1. any unclean substance, such as mud, dust, excrement, etc; filth
2. loose earth; soil
3. 1. packed earth, gravel, cinders, etc, used to make a racetrack
   2. ( as modifier )

      a dirt track

4. mining the gravel or soil from which minerals are extracted
5. a person or thing regarded as worthless
6. obscene or indecent speech or writing
7. slang.
   gossip; scandalous information
8. moral corruption
9. do someone dirt slang.
   to do something vicious to someone
10. dish the dirt informal.
    to spread malicious gossip
11. eat dirt slang.
    to accept insult without complaining
12. treat someone like dirt
    to have no respect or consideration for someone

Word History and Origins

Origin of dirt¹

1250–1300; Middle English dirt, drit; cognate with Old Norse drit excrement; compare Old English drītan

Word History and Origins

Origin of dirt¹

C13: from Old Norse drit excrement; related to Middle Dutch drēte

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. eat dirt, Informal. to accept blame, guilt, criticism, or insults without complaint; humble or abase oneself:

   The prosecutor seemed determined to make the defendant eat dirt.

2. do (someone) dirt. dirty ( def 18 ).

More idioms and phrases containing dirt

In addition to the idiom beginning with dirt , also see dig up (dirt) ; dish the dirt ; eat crow (dirt) ; hit the deck (dirt) ; pay dirt ; treat like dirt . Also see under dirty .

Example Sentences

Having an attorney general with so much potentially compromising dirt on him could be an asset, it being hard to say “no” to someone would could arguably ruin you.

From Salon

“Oh my God!” she gasped as I handed her a vial of holy dirt with an image of the Santo Niño de Atocha.

From Los Angeles Times

Well, you know, all of that was dirt.

From Los Angeles Times

“Every little patch of dirt can be a wildlife habitat,” Tilford says.

From Los Angeles Times

The artwork was coated with a dark varnish and accumulated dirt over the years, giving the false impression it depicts a night scene.

From BBC

Related Words

• excrement
• ground
• muck
• mud
• soil
• stain