dirt

dirt — noun

1. any unwanted material like dust, mud, or grease that settles on surfaces or obje

1.nounA2
Definition

any unwanted material like dust, mud, or grease that settles on surfaces or objects and makes them unclean

Example

Andrei wiped the dirt off his shoes before entering the house.

wipe + off for removing dirt from a surface

Elena could see a layer of dirt on the kitchen floor after the party.

Common collocations
  • wipe dirt off
  • remove dirt
  • covered with dirt
  • a layer of dirt
Synonyms
  • grime

    suggests dirt that has built up over time and is harder to remove

  • filth

    stronger and more disgusting than dirt, often connected to disease or decay

Antonyms

Usage Note

Often paired with verbs like 'wipe', 'remove', 'brush', and 'covered with'. This is the most common everyday meaning of the word.

Common Mistakes

There is dirty on the floor.
There is dirt on the floor.
'dirty' is an adjective; the noun form is 'dirt'.

2. the earth or loose soil found on the ground, for example in a garden, yard, or f

2.nounA2
Definition

the earth or loose soil found on the ground, for example in a garden, yard, or field

Example

Padma filled the flowerpot with rich, dark dirt from the garden.

Hyun knelt down and gently pushed the seeds into the soft dirt.

push + into for planting seeds in the ground

Common collocations
  • in the dirt
  • soft dirt
  • dry dirt
  • push seeds into dirt
  • fill with dirt
Synonyms
  • soil

    more neutral and technical than dirt; preferred in gardening and science

  • earth

    broader than dirt, can include rocks and clay

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1, this sense refers to the ground as a natural material, not as unwanted grime. Common in gardening and outdoor contexts.

3. waste matter produced by the body of an animal or person

3.nounB1
Definition

waste matter produced by the body of an animal or person

Example

The puppy left dirt on the carpet, so Asher cleaned it up with a towel.

euphemistic use for animal waste

Adina told her son to wipe the dog's dirt off his boots before coming inside.

Common collocations
  • dog dirt
  • leave dirt on
  • wipe dirt off

Usage Note

A euphemistic or informal way to refer to waste. More direct options include 'poop' (for children or pets) and 'excrement' (formal).

4. private or secret facts about a person that, if revealed, would harm their reput

4.nounB2
Definition

private or secret facts about a person that, if revealed, would harm their reputation, professional life, or personal relationships

Example

Shirin discovered some dirt on the politician and passed it to the reporter.

Linh refused to spread dirt about her former classmate even after their argument.

spread dirt about [person] — informal gossip expression

Common collocations
  • dig up dirt
  • dish the dirt
  • have dirt on
  • spread dirt about
Synonyms
  • gossip

    lighter and less harmful than dirt; gossip can be harmless

  • scandal

    more dramatic than dirt; scandal usually involves public exposure

Usage Note

Common in journalism, politics, and personal conflict contexts. Often implies the information is harmful rather than harmless gossip. Frequently appears in idioms like 'dish the dirt' and 'dig up dirt'.

Common Mistakes

She told me some dirts about the manager.
She told me some dirt about the manager.
'dirt' is uncountable even in this figurative sense.
Idioms

dish the dirt

idiom

to tell other people unpleasant or shocking details about someone's private life, especially when those details are not widely known

Ife loved to dish the dirt on celebrities at dinner parties.

dig up dirt on someone

idiom

to discover secret or damaging information about a person, usually in order to use it against them

Quan hired a private detective to dig up dirt on his dishonest business partner.

treat someone like dirt

idiom

to behave toward someone in a rude, disrespectful, or dismissive way, showing no care or consideration for their feelings

The part-time staff at the restaurant were treated like dirt by the head chef.

dirt cheap

idiom

extremely low in price; costing much less than expected or usual

These winter boots were dirt cheap at the clearance sale last weekend.

dig the dirt | dig up dirt (on somebody)

idiom

To find and share harmful information about someone, often to damage their reputation.

The journalist dug up dirt on the mayor's financial deals.

Did you dig the dirt on your new colleague yet?

dish the dirt (on somebody)

idiom

To gossip about someone's private life in an unkind way.

Maya loves to dish the dirt on her neighbors.

Why did you dish the dirt on your best friend?

eat dirt

idiom

To accept humiliation or unfair treatment without fighting back.

He had to eat dirt after losing the argument.

She refused to eat dirt and stood up for herself.

treat somebody like dirt

idiom

To show complete disrespect toward someone.

The manager treats his assistants like dirt.

Why do you treat your brother like dirt?

Word family

  • dirty
    adjectiveA1
  • dirtily
    adverbC1
  • dirtiness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/4

Dirt, gossip, scandal, and rumor all refer to information about other people, but they differ in harmfulness and reliability. Dirt specifically implies damaging or incriminating facts intended to ruin someone's reputation — it is not idle chatter. Gossip is lighter; it can be about any personal matter, harmless or not, and often circulates among friends. Scandal is more dramatic and public, involving moral outrage and widespread attention. Rumor is unverified information that may or may not be true. For example: 'The reporter dug up dirt on the mayor' (damaging facts), but 'The rumor about the mayor turned out to be false.'

gossip ↗scandal ↗rumor ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a layer of dirt
  • a speck of dirt
  • a piece of dirt

Prepositions

  • in the dirt
  • off the dirt
  • on the dirt
  • covered with dirt

Etymology

Old EnglishOld NorseEnglish

Dirt comes from Old English 'drit', which originally meant 'excrement'. Over time, the meaning expanded to include any unwanted substance that makes things unclean, then the soil itself, and later, by figurative extension, harmful gossip about a person's private life. The word is related to Old Norse 'drit' (excrement) and shares a distant link with the verb 'drop'.