Dirt
/dɜːrt/
Definitions
2 meaningsLoose earth, soil, or mud; any unclean substance.
/dɜːrt/
Loose earth; soil; mud
The children were covered in dirt after playing outside.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing outside, and you dig in the ground. The stuff you dig up? That's dirt! It's the stuff plants grow in, and it can be messy.
👶 For kids: The stuff on the ground that plants grow in, like soil or mud.
More Examples
She washed the dirt from her hands before dinner.
The farmer tilled the dirt in his fields.
How It's Used
"I need to buy some dirt to plant these flowers."
"The children were playing in the dirt."
Scandalous or incriminating information about a person or thing.
/dɜːrt/
Something of little value; trash
The tabloids were full of dirt about the celebrity.
💡 Simply: It's like a secret that someone doesn't want you to know, maybe something embarrassing or bad about them. Think of it as the 'bad stuff' you find out about someone.
👶 For kids: Secrets that might be not so nice about someone.
More Examples
She dug up some dirt on her ex-boyfriend.
The journalist was looking for dirt on the company's practices.
How It's Used
"The politician was trying to find dirt on his opponent."
"Don't give me that dirt!"
Idioms & expressions
eat dirt
To suffer a humiliating defeat; to be forced to admit defeat.
"If you lose the race, you'll have to eat dirt."
cheap dirt
Something of little value; something that is easily available and cheap.
"The items were sold at cheap dirt prices."
get down and dirty
To get involved in a task or activity in a thorough, sometimes rough or unpleasant, way.
"They were ready to get down and dirty to win the contract."
From Middle English *drit*, from Old English *drit* ('filth, dirt, dung'), from Proto-Germanic *dritą*.
Historically, the word 'dirt' has referred to both literal soil and figurative negative aspects, such as moral uncleanliness or disrepute.