dirty
Not clean; soiled
Not clean; having something like dust, mud, or grease on it.
[something] is dirty
- Her shoes were dirty after walking through the park.
- The windows are so dirty you can barely see through them.
- He washed his dirty hands before dinner.
- My shirt is dirty.
- The table is dirty.
- His face is dirty.
Sexually rude or offensive
Talking about sex or rude things in a way that may offend people.
[someone/something] is dirty
- He told a dirty joke at the party.
- Stop making dirty comments about her.
- Some magazines contain dirty pictures.
- He made a dirty joke.
- That movie has some dirty scenes.
- Don't say dirty words.
Dishonest or unfair
Using bad or unfair ways to win or get something.
[someone/something] is dirty
- The election campaign turned into a dirty fight.
- They used dirty tricks to win the contract.
- It's a dirty business full of corruption.
- He played a dirty game.
- The politician used dirty tricks.
- It was a dirty fight.
Make something unclean
To make something not clean by putting dirt or something like it on it.
to dirty [something]
- Don't dirty your shoes before the meeting.
- She dirtied the kitchen floor while cooking.
- The children dirtied their clothes playing outside.
- Don't dirty your hands.
- He dirtied his pants.
- She dirtied the floor.
- Base: dirty
- Comparative: dirtier
- Superlative: dirtiest
- Base: dirty
- 3rd Person Singular: dirties
- Present Participle: dirtying
- Past: dirtied
do someone’s dirty work
1Do unpleasant tasks for someone else
To do an unpleasant or bad job for another person so they don't have to do it themselves.
- She always gets her assistant to do her dirty work.
- He refused to do the boss’s dirty work anymore.
get your hands dirty
1Do unpleasant practical work
To do hard, messy, or unpleasant work yourself instead of letting others do it.
- As a manager, he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.
- Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to get the job done.
play dirty
1Act dishonestly to win
To use unfair or dishonest ways to win or get what you want.
- If you want to win against him, be prepared—he plays dirty.
- The company played dirty to beat its competitors.
dirty laundry
1embarrassing or private secrets
Private or shameful things about a person or family that they don’t want other people to know.
- The book reveals a lot of the family’s dirty laundry.
- He didn’t want their dirty laundry discussed in public.
dirty laundry
2Private embarrassing matters
Personal problems that you do not want other people to know about.
- They aired their dirty laundry in public during the meeting.
- Don't wash your dirty laundry in public; keep family issues private.