dirt
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++dirt /dɜːt $ dɜːrt/ ●●● S3 noun [uncountable] 1 DIRTYany substance that makes things dirty, such as mud or dust 灰尘，尘土，污物 You should have seen the dirt on that car! 你没看见那车上沾了多少泥！ His face and hands were black with dirt. 他的脸和手黑乎乎的，全是泥。 a patch of grass, covered in dog dirt (=waste from a dog’s bowels) 满是狗屎的一小片草地2 TAS especially American English earth or soil （泥）土 Michael threw his handful of dirt onto the coffin. 迈克尔往棺材上撒了一把土。in (the) dirt The children had been sitting in the dirt. 这些孩子一直在泥地里坐着。3 informalKNOW something information about someone’s private life or activities which could give people a bad opinion of them if it became known 〔某人私生活的〕丑事，丑行 The newspapers had been digging up dirt on the president. 报纸一直在挖掘总统的丑事。4. RUDE/OBSCENEtalk, writing, a film etc that is considered bad or immoral because it is about sex 下流话；下流文章；色情电影 → dish the dirt at dish2, → hit/strike paydirt at paydirt, → hit the dirt at hit1(17), → treat somebody like dirt at treat1(1)n COLLOCATIONSverbsremove the dirt (from something)First, remove any dirt from the cut.brush off/wash off/clean off the dirtWash the dirt off those boots before you come in.something shows the dirt (=something looks dirty – used about colours)Light-coloured clothes show the dirt rather quickly.adjectivesloose dirt (=that you can brush off easily)Keep your pack clean by brushing off any loose dirt after use. ingrained dirt (=under the surface of something and difficult to clean off)We had to wash the walls to remove the ingrained dirt. ground-in dirt (=difficult to remove because people have walked over something )He had a lot of trouble getting rid of the ground-in dirt from the carpet.phrasesbe covered with dirtThe kitchen floor was covered with dirt.be black with dirt (=be very dirty)Jack came in from the garden, his hands black with dirt.a speck of dirt (=a very small piece of dirt)Their house was so clean – there wasn’t a speck of dirt anywhere.
Examples from the Corpus
dirt• They live at the end of a dirt road.• The government was paying farmers fifteen cents a cubic yard to move dirt.• The hose washed off something that was not dirt.• The film of steam combined with the patina of dirt on the glass made them almost opaque.• The rooms were cleaned until every speck of dirt and grit was gone.• A quick ride up a short but somewhat steep dirt road takes you to Mulholland Drive, known here as dirt Mulholland.• The kids were playing in the yard, digging in the dirt.• That way, enough bag was left to use as a flap to hold in the dirt.• He stabbed the brake, stabbed too hard, and his back wheels slurred in the dirt.• Jack looked up and wiped a grubby hand wearily over his face, streaking the dirt still further.• She swept the dirt off the back porch.• Why is there dirt all over the back seat of the car?• The floor was covered with dirt.• He took off his glasses, which were covered with dirt.• Put the seeds in the pot and cover them with dirt.in (the) dirt• He staggered forward, covered in dirt, his clothing ripped and ragged.• A third saguaro lies full-length in the dirt, one end squashed flat and stamped with the imprint of tire treads.• A rarely used volleyball net stood lonely in the dirt and weeds.• Putting an arm round her shoulder, he crouched down and used a stick to draw the meadow in the dirt.• Take a stick and scratch pictures in the dirt.• The chickens' surviving relatives clucked and scratched in the dirt, oblivious to the drifting feathers.• He stabbed the brake, stabbed too hard, and his back wheels slurred in the dirt.• The two halves twitched and wriggled in the dirt.Origin dirt (1200-1300) Old Norse dritdirt noun →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese
things mud Corpus substance or any dirty, that as makes such
dirt
dirt S3 /dɜːt $ dɜːrt/
noun [uncountable]
You should have seen the dirt on that car!
His face and hands were black with dirt.
a patch of grass, covered in dog dirt (=waste from a dog’s bowels)
2. especially American English earth or soil:
Michael threw his handful of dirt onto the coffin.
in (the) dirt
The children had been sitting in the dirt.
3. informal information about someone’s private life or activities which could give people a bad opinion of them if it became known:
The newspapers had been digging up dirt on the President.
4. talk, writing, a film etc that is considered bad or immoral because it is about sex
⇨ dish the dirt at dish2, ⇨ hit/strike paydirt at paydirt, ⇨ hit the dirt at hit1(17), ⇨ treat somebody like dirt at treat1(1)
■ verbs
▪remove the dirt (from something) First, remove any dirt from the cut.
▪brush off/wash off/clean off the dirt Wash the dirt off those boots before you come in.
▪something shows the dirt (=something looks dirty – used about colours) Light-coloured clothes show the dirt rather quickly.
■ adjectives
▪loose dirt (=that you can brush off easily) Keep your pack clean by brushing off any loose dirt after use.
▪ingrained dirt (=under the surface of something and difficult to clean off) We had to wash the walls to remove the ingrained dirt.
▪ground-in dirt (=difficult to remove because people have walked over something ) He had a lot of trouble getting rid of the ground-in dirt from the carpet.
■ phrases
▪be covered with dirt The kitchen floor was covered with dirt.
▪be black with dirt (=be very dirty) Jack came in from the garden, his hands black with dirt.
▪a speck of dirt (=a very small piece of dirt) Their house was so clean – there wasn’t a speck of dirt anywhere.
▪ soil the top layer of the earth that plants grow in: Roses do best in well-drained, slightly acid soil.
▪earth the brown substance that the ground is made up of: Thousands of tons of earth were moved to build the dam.
▪dirt American English loose dry earth: a pile of loose dirt in the wheelbarrow
▪dust a dry powder made up of extremely small bits of earth or sand: A cloud of dust billowed out behind the tractor.
▪mud wet soil that has become soft and sticky: The dog came back covered in mud.
dirt S3 /dɜːt $ dɜːrt/
noun [uncountable] Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old Norse
Origin: drit
1. any substance that makes things dirty, such as mud or dust:Language: Old Norse
Origin: drit
2. especially American English earth or soil:
in (the) dirt
3. informal information about someone’s private life or activities which could give people a bad opinion of them if it became known:
4. talk, writing, a film etc that is considered bad or immoral because it is about sex
⇨ dish the dirt at dish2, ⇨ hit/strike paydirt at paydirt, ⇨ hit the dirt at hit1(17), ⇨ treat somebody like dirt at treat1(1)
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especially
soil the top layer of the earth in which plants grow 指土壤 ：◆ Plant the seedlings in damp soil. 把幼苗种在湿润的土壤里。 mud wet soil that is soft and sticky 指泥、淤泥、泥浆 ：◆ The car wheels got stuck in the mud. 汽车轮子陷到泥里去了。 dust a fine powder that consists of very small pieces of rock, earth, etc. 指沙石、沙土、尘土 ：◆ A cloud of dust rose as the truck set off. 卡车起动时扬起一片灰尘。 clay a type of heavy sticky soil that becomes hard when it is baked and is used to make things such as pots and bricks 指黏土、陶土 ：◆ The tiles are made of clay. 这些砖是用陶土制成的。 land an area of ground, especially of a particular type 尤指某种类型的地带、土地 ：◆ an area of rich, fertile land 土地富饶肥沃的地域 earth the substance that plants grow in 指土、泥、泥土 NOTE Earth is often used about the soil found in gardens or used for gardening.* earth 常用以指花园里或种花用的泥土 ：◆ She put some earth into the pot. 她在花盆里放了一些泥土。 dirt ( soil, especially loose soilespecially
NAmE 指泥土，尤指松土、散土 ：◆ Pack the dirt firmly around the plants. 将植物周围的土培实。 ground an area of soil 指土地 ：◆ The car got stuck in the muddy ground. 汽车陷到泥地里了。 ◆ They drove across miles of rough, stony ground. 他们驶过数英里崎岖不平、多石的土地。 NOTE Ground is not used for loose soil.* ground 不用以指松土、散土 ：◆ a handful of dry ground
Patterns
good/rich soil/land/earthfertile/infertile soil/land/groundto dig the soil/mud/clay/land/earth/groundto cultivate the soil/land/ground
