dirt 
/ˈdɚt/ noun
/ˈdɚt/ noun [noncount] 1 : loose earth or soil
▪ Pack dirt loosely around the base of the plant. ▪ mounds/piles of dirt 2 : a substance (such as mud or dust) that makes things unclean
▪ You've got some dirt on your face. ▪ Their shoes were covered with dirt. ▪ No amount of cleaning will get rid of all this dirt. 3 informal : a person or thing that has no value
▪ He treated me like dirt. [=he treated me very badly] 4 informal : information about someone that could harm the person's reputation
▪ She's been spreading dirt [=gossip] about her ex-husband. ◊To dig up (the) dirt on someone is to find out information that is harmful to that person's reputation.
▪ He's been digging up dirt on his political rivals. ◊To dish (the) dirt is to spread harmful gossip or information.
▪ He seems to have written his memoirs mainly so that he can dish the dirt on all his former lovers.
▪ Pack dirt loosely around the base of the plant. ▪ mounds/piles of dirt
▪ You've got some dirt on your face. ▪ Their shoes were covered with dirt. ▪ No amount of cleaning will get rid of all this dirt.
▪ He treated me like dirt. [=he treated me very badly]
▪ She's been spreading dirt [=gossip] about her ex-husband. ◊To dig up (the) dirt on someone is to find out information that is harmful to that person's reputation.
▪ He's been digging up dirt on his political rivals. ◊To dish (the) dirt is to spread harmful gossip or information.
▪ He seems to have written his memoirs mainly so that he can dish the dirt on all his former lovers.
hit the dirt — see 1hit
in the dirt
◊In baseball, a pitch is in the dirt when it hits the ground near home plate before reaching the catcher.
▪ He swung and missed at a curveball in the dirt.
▪ He swung and missed at a curveball in the dirt.
— see also pay dirt
