dirt

UK: /ˈdɜː^rt/ US: /dɝt/ ,(dûrt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dirt /dɜrt/   n. [uncountable]

1. any foul or filthy substance, such as mud:
   I couldn't get the dirt off my clothes.
2. earth or soil, esp. when loose:
   good dirt for growing vegetables.
3. something or someone vile or worthless:
   She treated me like dirt.
4. moral filth;
   vileness.
5. Informal Terms gossip, esp. of a malicious nature:
   listening to the latest dirt.

Idioms

6. Idioms do someone dirt, [ do + obj + ~] to cause someone harm:
   I would never do her dirt.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dirt  (dûrt), n. 

1. any foul or filthy substance, as mud, grime, dust, or excrement.
2. earth or soil, esp. when loose.
3. something or someone vile, mean, or worthless:
   After that last outburst of hers I thought she was dirt.
4. moral filth;
   vileness;
   corruption.
5. obscene or lewd language:
   to talk dirt.
6. Informal Terms gossip, esp. of a malicious, lurid, or scandalous nature:
   Tell me all the latest dirt.
7. private or personal information which if made public would create a scandal or ruin the reputation of a person, company, etc.
8. [Mining.]
   • Mining crude, broken ore or waste.
   • Mining (in placer mining) the material from which gold is separated by washing.
9. Idioms do (someone) dirt. See dirty (def. 15).
10. Idioms eat dirt, [Informal.] to accept blame, guilt, criticism, or insults without complaint;
    humble or abase oneself:
    The prosecutor seemed determined to make the defendant eat dirt.

• 1250–1300; Middle English dirt, drit; cognate with Old Norse drit excrement; compare Old English drītan

Synonyms

• 6. scandal, slander, rumor, scuttlebutt.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dirt / dɜːt/ noun

1. any unclean substance, such as mud, dust, excrement, etc; filth
2. loose earth; soil
3. packed earth, gravel, cinders, etc, used to make a racetrack
4. (as modifier): a dirt track
5. the gravel or soil from which minerals are extracted
6. a person or thing regarded as worthless
7. obscene or indecent speech or writing
8. gossip; scandalous information
9. moral corruption
10. do someone dirt ⇒ to do something vicious to someone
11. eat dirt ⇒ to accept insult without complaining

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse drit excrement; related to Middle Dutch drēte