|
| dirt [ durt ] |
noun |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. unclean substance: a substance that spoils the cleanness of somebody or something
 There was a smear of dirt on his shirt.
|
2. earth: earth, soil, or mud
 Children were playing in the dirt by the side of the road.
|
3. hard-packed earth: soil packed down to make a firm surface, especially to form a road, track, or path
 dirt floors
|
4. scandalous facts: scandalous or damaging facts about somebody
 The local paper may have some dirt on the candidates.
|
5. corrupting influence: something that is considered to have a corrupting influence, e.g. pornography or foul language
|
| [13th century. < Old Norse drit "excrement" < Germanic] |
|
dig the dirt on somebody or something to search for scandalous information about somebody or something in order to make it public
|
treat somebody like dirt to treat somebody with the utmost contempt (informal)
|