dirt
UK: dɜːt | US: dɜːrt
n. loose earth or soil; unclean matter
n. obscene or indecent language or content
n. (informal) gossip or scandalous information
The word "dirt" originates from Old Norse drit ("excrement"), which later evolved in Middle English to broadly mean "earth" or "unclean matter." Its shift from a specific to a general term reflects the natural association of soil with impurity in agricultural societies. The modern sense of "scandal" or "gossip" emerged metaphorically in the 19th century, likening hidden truths to buried filth.
The children played in the dirt, their clothes covered in mud.
Wash your hands—they’re full of dirt.
The magazine published all the dirt about the celebrity’s divorce.
He muttered something under his breath, but it was just dirt.
Clean the dirt off the windshield before driving.