dirty

[dur-tee] /ˈdɜr ti/
adjective, dirtier, dirtiest.
1.
soiled with dirt; foul; unclean:
dirty laundry.
2.
spreading or imparting dirt; soiling:
dirty smoke.
3.
vile; mean; sordid; contemptible:
to play a dirty trick on someone.
4.
obscene; pornographic; lewd:
a dirty joke.
5.
undesirable or unpleasant; thankless:
He left the dirty work for me.
6.
very unfortunate or regrettable:
That's a dirty shame!
7.
not fair or sportsmanlike; unscrupulous:
a dirty fighter.
8.
hostile, insulting, contemptuous, or resentful:
She gave me a dirty look. He made a dirty crack about the cooking.
9.
(of a nuclear weapon) producing a relatively large amount of radioactive fallout.
10.
(of the weather) stormy; squally:
It looks dirty to windward.
11.
Informal. obtained through illegal or disreputable means:
dirty money.
12.
appearing as if soiled; dark-colored; dingy; murky.
13.
Slang. using or in possession of narcotics.
14.
Foreign Exchange. (of currency floats) manipulated, as by a central bank influencing or changing exchange rates (opposed to clean).
verb (used with object), verb (used without object), dirtied, dirtying.
15.
to make or become dirty.
adverb
16.
Informal. in a mean, unscrupulous, or underhand way:
to play dirty.
17.
Informal. in a lewd manner:
to talk dirty.
Idioms
18.
do (someone) dirty, Slang. to treat unfairly or reprehensibly, as by cheating or slandering.
Origin
1520-30; dirt + -y1
Related forms
dirtily, adverb
dirtiness, noun
Synonyms
1. grimy, defiled. Dirty, filthy, foul, squalid refer to that which is not clean. Dirty is applied to that which is filled or covered with dirt so that it is unclean or defiled: dirty clothes. Filthy is an emphatic word suggesting something that is excessively soiled or dirty: filthy streets. Both dirty and filthy can refer to obscenity: a dirty mind, a filthy novel. Foul implies an uncleanness that is grossly offensive to the senses: a foul odor. Squalid, applied usually to dwellings or surroundings, implies dirtiness that results from the slovenly indifference often associated with poverty: a squalid tenement. 3. base, vulgar, low, shabby, groveling. 4. nasty, lascivious, lecherous. 10. rainy, foul, sloppy, disagreeable, nasty. 12. dull, dark, sullied, clouded. 15. soil, befoul, sully.
Examples from the web for dirty
  • It was also said that the staff were lax and lazy and the palace was dirty.
  • Outside the major cities, facilities are often dirty and poorly equipped.
British Dictionary definitions for dirty

dirty

/ˈdɜːtɪ/
adjective dirtier, dirtiest
1.
covered or marked with dirt; filthy
2.
  1. obscene; salacious: dirty books
  2. sexually clandestine: a dirty weekend
3.
causing one to become grimy: a dirty job
4.
(of a colour) not clear and bright; impure
5.
unfair; dishonest; unscrupulous; unsporting
6.
mean; nasty: a dirty cheat
7.
scandalous; unkind: a dirty rumour
8.
revealing dislike or anger: a dirty look
9.
(of weather) rainy or squally; stormy
10.
(of an aircraft) having projections into the airstream, such as lowered flaps
11.
(of an explosive device) modified to cause radioactive contamination Compare clean (sense 5)
12.
(Austral, slang) be dirty on, to be offended by or be hostile towards
13.
dirty dog, a despicable person
14.
(informal) dirty linen, intimate secrets, esp those that might give rise to gossip
15.
(slang, mainly US & Canadian, Austral) dirty pool, dishonest behaviour
16.
dirty word
  1. an obscene word
  2. something that is regarded with disapproval: federalism is a dirty word
17.
dirty work, unpleasant or illicit activity
18.
(Brit, informal) do the dirty on, to behave meanly or unkindly towards
verb dirties, dirtying, dirtied
19.
to make or become dirty; stain; soil
Derived Forms
dirtily, adverb
dirtiness, noun
Word Origin and History for dirty
adj.

c.1500, from dirt + -y (2). Earlier dritty (late 14c.). Meaning "smutty, morally unclean" is from 1590s. Of colors, from 1690s. Dirty linen "personal or familial secrets" is first recorded 1860s. Dirty work in the figurative sense is from 1764; dirty trick is from 1670s. The dirty look someone gives you is from 1928; dirty old man "superannuated lecher" is from 1932. Related: dirtiness.

v.

1590s, from dirty (adj.). Related: Dirtied; dirtying.

Slang definitions & phrases for dirty

dirty

adjective
  1. Corrupt; dishonest; shady •Often used of corrupt police officers: If I was dirty, I would take what that Cadillac cost/ Maybe he's not dirty on Nijinsky, but he's dirty on something (1670+)
  2. Lewd; obscene; blue, raunchy: This dictionary dotes on dirty words/ Eschew dirty thoughts (1599+)
  3. Sexually insinuating in sound and intonation; cathouse, barrelhouse: dirty blues (1920s+ Jazz musicians)
  4. Personally malicious or snide; nasty: a dirty crack (1920s+)
  5. Addicted to narcotics (1960s+ Narcotics)
  6. Having narcotics in one's possession: Cops did a bodyshake and he was real dirty (1960s+ Narcotics)
  7. Well supplied with money; filthy rich: Paddy was dirty with fifteen thousand or so (1919+)
  8. Leaving much radioactive contamination or waste: dirty bombs (1950s+)
adverb
  1. : They fight dirty/ play dirty
  2. : He talks dirty
Related Terms

do the dirty on someone, down and dirty, quick-and-dirty


Idioms and Phrases with dirty

dirty

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