dirty
Very high frequency (A1/A2 level).Neutral to informal; 'soiled' meaning is neutral, but many extended meanings are informal/colloquial.
Definition
Meaning
Unclean or soiled with dirt, grime, or filth.
Morally corrupt, indecent, dishonest, or unsporting; (of weather) unpleasant, stormy; (of nuclear weapons) producing considerable radioactive fallout.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Adjective is primary; verb use (to make dirty) is derived. Figurative uses (dirty look, dirty secret) are extremely common. Can be an intensifier (dirty great).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Dirty weekend' has a stronger connotation of a clandestine romantic/sexual getaway in BrE; in AmE, it's more ambiguous (could just mean a camping trip).
Connotations
Largely identical. Both use 'dirty' in moral/ethical contexts (dirty politics, dirty fighter).
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
dirty [noun]get [noun] dirtyplay dirtydo the dirty on someoneVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “air one's dirty laundry in public”
- “do the dirty work”
- “play dirty”
- “dirty one's hands”
- “a dirty look”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to unethical practices ('dirty dealing', 'dirty money').
Academic
Rare in formal writing; may appear in sociology/literature discussing morality or pollution.
Everyday
Extremely common for physical cleanliness, mild insults ('dirty cheat'), and colloquial expressions.
Technical
In engineering/environmental science: 'dirty fuel', 'dirty bomb' (fallout).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Don't dirty your school uniform before the photo.
- He dirtied his reputation with that scandal.
American English
- The dog dirtied up the new carpet.
- She didn't want to dirty her hands with the unethical deal.
adverb
British English
- He played dirty to win the match.
- She swore dirty at the referee.
American English
- They fight dirty when they're losing.
- Talk dirty to me (colloquial/idiomatic).
adjective
British English
- His football kit was absolutely filthy and dirty.
- That was a dirty tackle and deserved a red card.
American English
- We had to change the baby's dirty diaper.
- He made a dirty joke that embarrassed everyone.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Wash your dirty hands before dinner.
- The floor is dirty. Please clean it.
- He gave me a dirty look when I took the last biscuit.
- I need to do a load of dirty laundry.
- The politician was accused of using dirty tricks to win the election.
- They had a dirty weekend in Paris.
- The company's assets were acquired with dirty money from illicit activities.
- The debate quickly descended into a dirty, personal attack.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a DIRT-Y shirt that has been rolling in the DIRT.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMMORALITY IS DIRT / CORRUPTION IS CONTAMINATION (e.g., 'dirty politics', 'clean up your act').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'dirty look' literally; it's a glare of anger/disapproval, not a soiled appearance.
- 'Dirty joke' is often translated as 'неприличный/пошлый анекдот', not 'грязный'.
- Do not use 'dirty' for 'mean' or 'nasty' in all contexts (e.g., 'a dirty player' is unsporting, not necessarily physically dirty).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'dirt' as an adjective ('My shoes are dirt'). Correct: 'My shoes are dirty'.
- Confusing 'dirty' with 'dusty' (which is specifically dry, loose dirt).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'to do the dirty on someone' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, its core meaning (unclean) is neutral. Some extended meanings (dirty joke, dirty mind) are informal and can be considered crude or impolite in formal contexts, but the word itself is not a swear word.
'Filthy' is a stronger, more intense synonym for the physical meaning (extremely dirty). 'Dirty' is more general. Figuratively, both can refer to obscenity, but 'filthy' is again stronger (filthy rich, filthy language).
Yes, but it's less common than the adjective. It means 'to make something dirty' (e.g., 'He dirtied his new shoes'). It is more often used in the passive/participle form ('get dirtied') or figuratively ('dirty one's name').
It means to act in a deceitful, unfair, or unsporting way to gain an advantage, especially in a game, sport, or competition.
Collections
Part of a collection
Basic Adjectives
A1 · 46 words · Fundamental describing words used every day.