Welcome to the world of idioms where words like “dirt” help paint vivid pictures through language. This post will explore various idioms involving the term “dirt,” each with its unique meaning. These expressions are simple enough for anyone to understand, making them perfect for learners of all ages.
Dirt Idioms
Here are 20 dirt idioms in English.
1. Dish the dirt
Meaning: Gossip about someone
Example: They loved to dish the dirt at lunch.
2. Treat like dirt
Meaning: Treat someone very badly
Example: He was treated like dirt at work.
3. As cheap as dirt
Meaning: Very inexpensive
Example: These bananas are as cheap as dirt.
4. Dirt cheap
Meaning: Extremely cheap
Example: I found a dirt cheap sofa online.
5. Hit pay dirt
Meaning: Find great success
Example: She hit pay dirt with her new book.
6. Dirt poor
Meaning: Extremely poor
Example: He grew up dirt poor.
7. Throw dirt on
Meaning: Damage someone’s reputation
Example: They tried to throw dirt on his image.
8. As dry as dirt
Meaning: Very dry
Example: The soil was as dry as dirt.
9. Put through the dirt
Meaning: Humiliate or degrade someone
Example: He was put through the dirt during the trial.
10. Eat dirt
Meaning: Accept humiliation
Example: He had to eat dirt and apologize.
11. Someone’s name is mud
Meaning: Someone’s reputation is ruined
Example: After the scandal, his name was mud.
12. Mud in your eye
Meaning: A toast, like saying “Cheers”
Example: Here’s to us, mud in your eye!
13. Drag through the mud
Meaning: Severely malign someone’s reputation
Example: The press dragged her through the mud.
14. Here’s mud in your eye
Meaning: A jovial toast
Example: They raised their glasses and said, “Here’s mud in your eye!”
15. Mud-slinging
Meaning: The act of making malicious allegations
Example: The debate turned into mud-slinging.
16. Clear as mud
Meaning: Not clear at all, confusing
Example: His explanation was as clear as mud.
17. Muddy the waters
Meaning: Make a situation more confusing
Example: His comments only muddied the waters.
18. Mud on your face
Meaning: Be embarrassed or humiliated
Example: He got mud on his face after the error.
19. As happy as a pig in mud
Meaning: Very happy, contented
Example: He’s as happy as a pig in mud with his new job.
20. Stick-in-the-mud
Meaning: Someone who is old-fashioned
Example: Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud.
