filth
gb/fˈɪlθ/ us/fˈɪlθ/
B2
Anglais
~ 10000
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B2
entity
1
thick layer of dirt or grime
A lot of dirty material, like mud or dust, on something so that it looks or smells very bad.
Schéma d’usage :
filth on [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'filth' for any normal mess, where native speakers would say 'mess' or 'dirt'. 'Filth' is stronger and suggests something very dirty and often disgusting, not just a little untidy.
Synonymes
dirt (More general and less strong; can be small or light amounts, while 'filth' suggests something heavier and more disgusting.)
|
grime (Often used for dark, greasy dirt on surfaces; similar strength but slightly more visual than 'filth'.)
Antonymes
cleanliness (Refers to the state of being clean and free from dirt, which is the opposite of being covered in filth.)
Collocations
covered in filth
|caked in filth
|clean up the filth
|the stench of filth
|filth and grime
Thèmes
daily life
|home
|health
|daily_life
|housing
Exemples
- The back alley was filled with trash and reeking filth.
- She scrubbed the kitchen floor until all the filth was gone.
- Years of smoke and filth had turned the walls yellow.
- The river was choked with industrial filth and dead fish.
Exemples pédagogiques
- His shoes were covered in filth after the walk.
- They cleaned the filth from the bathroom floor.
- There was filth on the windows and on the table.
Nom
informal
B2
entity
2
offensive or pornographic material
Books, videos, pictures, or online content that many people think is very dirty or bad, often because it shows sex in a strong or shocking way.
Schéma d’usage :
filth on [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think 'filth' here is neutral like 'adult content'. In fact, it is very negative and critical, often used to show strong moral disapproval.
Synonymes
pornography (More technical and specific to sexual material; 'filth' is a strongly negative, emotional word used to condemn such material.)
|
obscenity (More formal and legal; 'filth' is more informal and emotionally loaded.)
Antonymes
wholesomeness (Describes content that is clean, healthy, and morally positive, the opposite of what someone calling it 'filth' would mean.)
Collocations
watching filth online
|turn off this filth
|pornographic filth
|spread hateful filth
|ban this filth
Thèmes
media
|morality
|law
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Exemples
- She complained that there was too much filth on late-night television.
- Parents are worried about the amount of filth their kids can see on the internet.
- The politician promised to crack down on online filth and hate speech.
- He threw the magazine away, calling it disgusting filth.
Exemples pédagogiques
- They say there is a lot of filth on that website.
- She turned off the film and said, "I don't want to watch this filth."
- Some people think that kind of music video is just filth.
Nom
C1
state
3
extreme moral corruption or ugliness
Very bad and dirty behavior in a moral way, for example when people lie, hurt others, or are corrupt and cruel.
Schéma d’usage :
the filth of [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse this sense with only physical dirt. When used about politics, business, or society, 'filth' usually means moral corruption, not actual mud or dust.
Synonymes
corruption (Focuses more on dishonest or illegal behavior; 'filth' is broader and more emotional, stressing how disgusting it feels morally.)
|
depravity (More formal and literary; both describe extreme moral badness, but 'filth' uses a dirt metaphor more strongly.)
Antonymes
integrity (Describes honesty and strong moral principles, the opposite of the moral filth being criticized.)
Collocations
the filth of corruption
|moral filth
|political filth
|clean up the filth in [organization]
|swim in filth and lies
Thèmes
morality
|society
|politics
|relationships
|law
Exemples
- The report exposed the filth at the heart of the regime.
- He vowed to drive the filth of racism out of the club.
- Journalists uncovered financial filth that had been hidden for years.
- She refused to be part of the filth that passed for politics in that city.
Exemples pédagogiques
- They wanted to remove the filth of corruption from the company.
- He spoke about the filth of hate and violence in society.
- She said the system was full of filth and lies.
Nom
vulgar
C1
entity
4
insult for disgusting or worthless people
A very rude word for someone you hate and think is a very bad or dirty person.
Schéma d’usage :
treat [someone] like filth
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may not realize how strong and offensive this word is when used about people. It should be used with great care and is usually only reported, not used directly in polite conversation.
Synonymes
scum (Very similar level of insult; 'scum' is slightly more common, but both strongly dehumanize the person or group.)
|
trash (As an insult it can be slightly less strong; 'filth' feels more intense and hateful.)
Antonymes
decent person (Describes someone seen as good and respectable, which is the opposite of calling them 'filth'.)
Collocations
you are filth
|treat [someone] like filth
|these people are filth
|get this filth out of here
|call them filth
Thèmes
insults
|emotions
|communication
|relationships
Exemples
- He shouted at the protesters, calling them "filth" as he drove past.
- They treated the workers like filth and paid them almost nothing.
- The article described the attackers as "violent filth" who should never be released.
- She said anyone who hurts children is pure filth.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He was angry and called them filth.
- They spoke to her like she was filth.
- She said, "People who do that are filth to me."
Nom
slang
C1
entity
5
British slang for the police
A British slang word for the police, used by people who are angry with them or do not respect them.
Schéma d’usage :
the filth
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think this is a neutral slang word like 'cops'. It is usually more negative and can sound very hostile or rude towards the police.
Synonymes
cops (General informal word for police; 'the filth' is more hostile and specifically British slang.)
Antonymes
civilians (Ordinary people who are not police; in contexts where 'the filth' refers to police, civilians are the contrasting group.)
Collocations
run from the filth
|the filth turned up
|watch out for the filth
|the filth are everywhere
|shouting at the filth
Thèmes
law
|british_english
|communication
Exemples
- They scattered as soon as someone yelled, "The filth are coming!"
- In the film, the gang members refer to the police as "the filth."
- He complained on social media about "the filth" harassing people in his neighborhood.
Exemples pédagogiques
- In that British movie, they call the police "the filth."
- He saw the filth and ran down a side street.
- Some people use "the filth" as a rude name for police.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
filth
API
GB/fˈɪlθ/
US/fˈɪlθ/
Syllabes et accentuation
filth (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (filth)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: filth
- Plural: filth
Famille de mots
Core family
filthy
adjective B1
Related words
filthiness
noun
filthily
adverb
Expressions
the filth
1/ðə fˈɪlθ/
fixed phrase
slang
British slang phrase for police
A British slang phrase meaning the police, usually used by people who dislike or fear them.
Exemples
- Someone shouted, "It's the filth!" and everyone ran.
- In that song, the rapper talks about the filth watching his every move.
- They joked about hiding the weed before the filth showed up.