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. slang,  to do something vicious to someone

10. informal,  to spread malicious gossip

11. slang,  to accept insult without complaining

12. 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, 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.

More idioms and phrases containing dirt

• dig up (dirt)
• dirty
• dish the dirt
• eat crow (dirt)
• hit the deck (dirt)
• pay dirt
• treat like dirt

Example Sentences

Photos included in the suit show a green pool and spa, and dirt and debris accumulating on tennis courts.

From Los Angeles Times

With Reynolds suddenly on third, and the Dodgers’ infield forced to play in, Tommy Pham slapped a single through the dirt for the night’s opening run.

From Los Angeles Times

We left the tar road and followed a patrol onto a dirt track into the forest.

From BBC

Cars whip by — dangerously close — but she enjoys the work of digging out leaves, dirt and pine cones.

From Los Angeles Times

"Earth dirt, if you look at it microscopically, has been weathered off. It's more or less in a round shape; but on the Moon the lunar dirt soil is all jagged," Mr Sallaberger said.

From BBC

Related Words

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