Dirty
/ˈdɜːrti/
Definitions
3 meaningsCovered or marked with an unclean substance; soiled or stained.
/ˈdɜːrti/
Covered or marked with an unclean substance.
My hands are dirty from working in the garden.
💡 Simply: Imagine you spill chocolate on your shirt – it's dirty! Things that have stuff on them that shouldn't be there are dirty.
👶 For kids: When something has yucky stuff on it, like mud or food, it's dirty.
More Examples
The windows were so dirty that I couldn't see through them.
He always wore dirty clothes.
How It's Used
"The child's clothes were dirty after playing in the mud."
"The kitchen floor was dirty and needed to be swept."
Morally corrupt; dishonest or involving unfair practices.
/ˈdɜːrti/
Morally corrupt; involving dishonest or illegal activities.
The politician was caught in a dirty scandal.
💡 Simply: Sometimes people do things that aren't fair or honest. We can call these 'dirty' actions, like cheating or lying.
👶 For kids: When something is bad, like cheating or being mean, it's 'dirty'.
More Examples
He made a dirty deal to win the election.
They were playing dirty, using underhanded tactics.
How It's Used
"The politician was accused of dirty dealings."
"They were involved in dirty money laundering schemes."
To make something dirty or soiled.
/ˈdɜːrti/
Make something dirty.
The children dirtied the carpet with their muddy boots.
💡 Simply: To make something unclean.
👶 For kids: To make something icky.
More Examples
The rain dirtied the car.
Don't dirty my clean clothes.
How It's Used
"The dog dirtied the rug."
Idioms & expressions
dirty work
Unpleasant or unethical tasks that need to be done, usually by someone else.
"He hired someone else to do the dirty work."
dirty secret
A secret that is scandalous or embarrassing.
"They had a dirty secret that they were trying to hide."
give someone the dirty look
To glare at someone angrily.
"She gave him the dirty look across the room."
From Old English *dortig*, meaning 'muddy, foul,' related to *drit* meaning 'dirt, filth.' The word's usage has expanded over time to encompass various forms of uncleanliness and moral corruption.
The word 'dirty' has existed in English since the Old English period, evolving from a descriptor of physical uncleanliness to encompass moral and ethical impropriety over time.
Memory tip
Think of the last time you got mud on your favorite shoes; they were DIRTY!
Word Origin
"mud, dirt"