dirt
gb/dˈɚt/ us/dˈɚt/
A2
English
~ 7200
föld, kosz, kompromittáló információ, szennyes, obszcén tartalom, disznóság, szemét, söpredék
NOUN
A2
1
föld
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone] digs / plays / works in the dirt
The kids were happily digging in the dirt behind the house.
A gyerekek boldogan áskálódtak a földben a ház mögött.
He brushed the loose dirt away and found an old coin.
Félresöpörte a laza földet, és talált egy régi érmét.
They dumped a truckload of dirt in the driveway for the new garden beds.
Her boots left deep marks in the soft dirt after the rain.
The dog rolled in the dirt and came back inside covered in dust.
Learner examples
The boy plays in the dirt in the yard.
A fiú az udvaron a földben játszik.
She puts the flower in the dirt in a pot.
A virágot földbe ülteti egy cserépben.
The workers move the dirt with big machines.
There is a lot of dirt on the road after the storm.
I see fresh dirt where someone dug a hole.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "dirt" with "ground" or "land." "Dirt" is the loose soil itself (You dig in the dirt), while "ground" is the surface you stand on (You sit on the ground). "Land" is a larger area of ground, often in a legal or geographic sense (buy land, travel over land).
Meaning
loose soil on the ground
Collocations
play in the dirt
|dig in the dirt
|a pile of dirt
|loose dirt
|kick up dirt
|potting dirt
Synonyms
soil (More general and slightly more formal; often used in gardening, farming, and science.)
|
earth (More literary or formal for the substance of the ground; used less in everyday casual speech.)
Antonyms
pavement (Refers to a hard, man-made surface like concrete or asphalt instead of natural dirt.)
|
grass (Refers to ground covered with plants rather than bare soil or dirt.)
Themes
nature
|home
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Loose soil on the ground, for example in a yard, garden, or field.
Loose soil or earth that forms the surface of the ground, especially when it is not covered by grass or plants.
A2
2
kosz
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] cleans / wipes dirt off [something]
There was a layer of dirt on the windowsill that hadn’t been cleaned in months.
Az ablakpárkányon egy réteg kosz volt, amit hónapok óta nem takarítottak le.
You have some dirt on your face; go wash it off.
Van egy kis kosz az arcodon; menj, mosd le.
Take your shoes off so you don’t bring dirt into the house.
The mechanic’s hands were black with dirt and oil.
This soap is strong enough to cut through tough dirt and grease.
Learner examples
There is dirt on the table, so I clean it.
Kosz van az asztalon, ezért letörlöm.
Your shirt has dirt on it after the game.
A meccs után kosz van az ingeden.
Please do not bring dirt into the living room.
I wash my hands to remove the dirt.
The car is full of dirt, so we need to wash it.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "dust" when they mean more general dirt. "Dust" is very small, dry particles, often in the air or on surfaces. "Dirt" can be dust, mud, or other unclean things that make something dirty.
Meaning
unclean substance making things dirty
Collocations
wipe off the dirt
|covered in dirt
|remove dirt
|dirt and grime
|track dirt into the house
|dirt stains
Synonyms
grime (Suggests thick, old, or greasy dirt that has built up over time.)
|
filth (Stronger and more negative; suggests very disgusting dirt or unclean conditions.)
Antonyms
cleanliness (Refers to the state of being clean and free from dirt.)
|
spotlessness (Emphasizes being completely clean, with no dirt at all.)
Themes
home
|daily life
|hygiene
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Dust, mud, or other unclean stuff on things that makes them not clean.
Any unclean substance such as dust, mud, or grease that makes something look or feel dirty.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] has / gets / shares dirt on [someone]
The reporter claimed she had dirt on several high-ranking officials.
Az újságíró azt állította, hogy több magas rangú tisztviselőről is vannak kompromittáló információi.
He tried to dig up dirt on his opponent before the election.
A választás előtt megpróbált kompromittáló anyagot előásni az ellenfeléről.
The tabloids are always looking for new dirt on celebrities.
She refused to share any dirt about her former boss, even though they had argued.
One angry tweet with some supposed dirt nearly ruined his career.
Learner examples
The magazine wants dirt on famous people.
A magazin kompromittáló információkat akar szerezni hírességekről.
He says he has dirt on his old manager.
Azt mondja, vannak kompromittáló információi a volt főnökéről.
They are trying to find dirt on the other team before the vote.
She will not tell any dirt about her friends.
The news story is full of dirt about the singer.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with physical dirt. When used with "on someone" ("dirt on him"), it almost always means bad information, not soil or dust.
Meaning
harmful or scandalous information
Collocations
dirt on [someone]
|dig up dirt
|juicy dirt
|some serious dirt
|political dirt
Synonyms
gossip (More general talk about other people’s private lives, not always harmful or true.)
|
scandal (A bigger and more serious situation that is already publicly known, not just private information.)
Antonyms
good reputation (If someone has a good reputation, there is little or no damaging information about them.)
|
praise (Positive talk about someone, the opposite of sharing bad or harmful information.)
Themes
media
|relationships
|work
|politics
|communication
Definition
Bad private information about someone that can make other people think badly of them.
Secret or private information about someone that could harm their reputation if made public.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
4
disznóság
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] talks / writes / watches dirt
He complained that there was too much dirt on late-night television.
Panaszkodott, hogy túl sok az obszcén tartalom a késő esti tévéműsorokban.
Her parents thought the magazine was just full of dirt and banned it from the house.
A szülei szerint a magazin csak tele volt disznóságokkal, ezért kitiltották a házból.
The comedian was funny, but his act had a lot of dirt in it.
They accused the website of spreading dirt and corrupting young viewers.
The teacher warned the students not to share dirt in the class group chat.
Learner examples
My dad says this movie is full of dirt.
Apám szerint ez a film tele van disznóságokkal.
Some people think this song is dirt, but others like it.
Vannak, akik szerint ez a szám obszcén, másoknak viszont tetszik.
The teacher does not want any dirt in our school play.
He stops reading the book because there is too much dirt in it.
They delete posts with dirt from the online group.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this sense. In modern English, this meaning exists but is less common than the physical and "bad information" senses. Often people use other words like "smut" or "porn" instead of "dirt" for sexual content.
Meaning
obscene or sexual material or talk
Collocations
talking dirt
|reading dirt
|full of dirt
|sexual dirt
|smut and dirt
Synonyms
smut (Very close in meaning; strongly suggests sexual content and is often slightly stronger or more disapproving.)
|
pornography (More specific and formal; usually refers to sexual images or videos, not just rude talk.)
Antonyms
wholesomeness (Refers to content that is clean, morally acceptable, and not sexual or rude.)
|
decency (Refers to behavior or content that follows social rules of what is proper and not offensive.)
Themes
media
|sexuality
|morality
|communication
Definition
Sex words, pictures, or stories that people see as rude or not proper.
Sexually explicit or obscene material, language, or stories considered morally offensive or dirty.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
5
Usage pattern:
[someone] is (like) dirt to [someone]; [someone] feels like dirt
After the scandal, his name was dirt in the industry.
A botrány után teljesen besározódott a neve a szakmában.
They treated her like dirt just because she was new to the country.
Úgy bántak vele, mint a szeméttel, csak azért, mert új volt az országban.
I felt like dirt after he shouted at me in front of everyone.
To some rich people, the workers are just dirt.
She swore she would never let anyone make her feel like dirt again.
Learner examples
He feels like dirt when his boss shouts at him.
Semminek érzi magát, amikor a főnöke kiabál vele.
They treat him like dirt because he is poor.
Úgy bánnak vele, mint a szeméttel, mert szegény.
After the lie, her name is dirt in the office.
No one is dirt; everyone should have respect.
She is not dirt; she is an important person.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes translate this idea directly from their language and say "I am dirt" in situations where English speakers would say "I feel worthless" or "I feel terrible." The word "dirt" here is strong and usually appears in set phrases like "treat someone like dirt" or "someone’s name is dirt."
Meaning
person or status seen as worthless
Collocations
treat [someone] like dirt
|feel like dirt
|someone is dirt to [someone]
|name is dirt
Synonyms
trash (Very insulting slang for a person seen as low or worthless.)
|
nobody (Less rude; focuses more on low importance or status than on being disgusting or dirty.)
Antonyms
respect (If you respect someone, you do not see them as dirt; you value them.)
|
dignity (Refers to a sense of worth and honor, the opposite of being treated like dirt.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|social issues
Definition
A way to talk about a person as if they have no value and do not deserve respect.
A person, or their social status, regarded as having no value and deserving no respect.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dirt
IPA
GB/dˈɚt/
US/dˈɚt/
Syllables & stress
dirt (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (dirt)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dirt
- Plural: dirt
Word family
Expressions
dig up dirt (on [someone])
1/dˈɪɡ ˈʌp dˈɚt ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
look for damaging information
To try hard to find bad private information about someone, especially to hurt their reputation.
Examples
- Reporters were trying to dig up dirt on the candidate before the debate.
- She hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on her ex-husband.
- The tabloids are always digging up dirt on celebrities.
dirt poor
1/dˈɚt pˈʊɹ/
idiom
informal
extremely poor, with no money
Very, very poor; having almost no money or property.
Examples
- He grew up dirt poor in a small farming village.
- Even though they were dirt poor, his parents always shared what they had.
- The family went from dirt poor to comfortable in just one generation.
eat dirt
1/ˈit dˈɚt/
idiom
informal
accept humiliation or defeat
To be forced to accept that you were wrong or lost, in a way that feels very bad and embarrassing.
Examples
- He had to eat dirt and admit that his plan had failed.
- After all his bragging, he ended up eating dirt in front of everyone.
- The team made their critics eat dirt by winning the championship.
have dirt on [someone]
1/hˈæv dˈɚt ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
possess harmful private information
To know bad private information about someone that could hurt them if other people find out.
Examples
- The journalist claimed she had dirt on several famous actors.
- He says he has dirt on his boss and could get him fired.
- They were afraid to speak out because the company had dirt on them.
hit pay dirt
1/hˈɪt pˈeɪ dˈɚt/
idiom
informal
suddenly find something valuable
To suddenly find something that is very valuable or very useful, often after a long search.
Examples
- The researchers hit pay dirt when they discovered the new treatment.
- We hit pay dirt with that new client; they doubled our sales.
- She hit pay dirt at the flea market and found a painting worth thousands.
someone’s name is dirt
1/sˈʌmwˌʌnz nˈeɪm ˈɪz dˈɚt/
idiom
informal
have a very bad reputation
People think very badly of this person now; they do not respect or trust them anymore.
Examples
- After the scandal, his name was dirt in the whole town.
- If you cheat your customers, your name will be dirt in the industry.
- Her name is dirt at that company after what happened.
throw dirt at [someone]
1/θɹˈoʊ dˈɚt ˈæt sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
attack someone’s reputation with talk
To say bad or false things about someone so that other people will think badly of them.
Examples
- During the campaign, both sides threw dirt at each other.
- He’s just throwing dirt at her because he’s jealous.
- Instead of throwing dirt at your coworkers, try to solve the problem together.
treat [someone] like dirt
1/tɹˈit sˈʌmwˌʌn lˈaɪk dˈɚt/
idiom
informal
treat someone with no respect
To be very rude or unkind to someone, as if they have no value.
Examples
- He treats his employees like dirt, and many of them have quit.
- I’m not going to let anyone treat me like dirt anymore.
- She realized she had been treating her sister like dirt and apologized.
dirt cheap
1/dˈɚt t͡ʃˈip/
idiom
informal
Extremely inexpensive
Very, very cheap; costing almost nothing.
Examples
- These tickets were dirt cheap!
- The old car was dirt cheap but worked fine.
dirt cheap
2/dˈɚt t͡ʃˈip/
idiom
informal
extremely cheap in price
Very, very cheap; costing almost nothing.
Examples
- These tickets were dirt cheap, so I bought four of them.
- The hotel was dirt cheap, but it was clean and safe.
- You can get fresh fruit dirt cheap at the market near closing time.
dish the dirt
1/dˈɪʃ ðə dˈɚt/
idiom
informal
Share gossip or scandalous details
To tell bad or secret things about someone.
Examples
- Come on, dish the dirt! What did he say?
- Come on, let’s get coffee and dish the dirt about the party.
- The magazine loves to dish the dirt on celebrities.
- The article dishes the dirt on life inside the royal family.
- They love to sit around and dish the dirt on their coworkers.