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dirty

dirty

39 2.8
A look that shows dislike or disapproval
  • adjective
  • /ˈdɜrti/
: desaprobatorio
  • When she reluctantly returned to school the next day, she was greeted with dirty looks in the hallways.
  • a dirty look

She gave me the dirtiest look I've ever gotten in my life.

Examples

  • I answer honestly, the judge gives me a dirty look, and I am excused.

    Blog text (27)
  • What are you giving me dirty looks for?

  • But yeah, we got some dirty looks from our kids, so we have to.

  • That tree is giving me dirty looks.

  • And I felt myself... giving them a dirty look.

  • And then you gave me a dirty look.

  • Diane gives them a dirty look.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The other rabbit owners give him dirty looks and shield their pets.

    Academic text (2007)
  • She gave me the dirtiest look I've ever gotten in my life.

  • After she overheard their conversation, she shot them a dirty look, filled with disapproval.

Antonyms

763 1.0

Kind and helpful toward other people

23 4.2

Saying good things about someone to show you admire them

Idioms

7 8.4

To talk about private or embarrassing family matters in public

1 9.5

Very quickly and suddenly without waiting or thinking

1 8.6

To talk about private, embarrassing problems in public

1 9.9

Leave a place very quickly

To talk about private, embarrassing things in front of other people

Compounds

dirty work
  • Informal
72 4.6

Unpleasant or shameful tasks that other people avoid

dirty laundry
  • Informal
32 5.3

Personal secrets that could cause embarrassment if made public

dirty word
  • NSFW
26 7.1

A word people think is rude or not polite

dirty bomb
  • NSFW
25 7.7

A weapon that explodes and spreads radioactive material to contaminate an area, not a nuclear bomb

22 6.0

Secret dishonest actions that harm or make someone look bad, often in politics and business

18 4.3

Money that someone gets through illegal or dishonest actions

15 6.7

A tough cop in Clint Eastwood films and a nickname for similar officers

13 2.8

A look that shows dislike or anger

12 4.9

An unfair action meant to harm or cheat someone

dirty joke
  • Offensive
11 7.2

A joke that talks about sex or private parts in a rude way

dirty old man
  • Offensive
10 8.4

An older man who makes sexual comments or touches younger people when they do not want him to

dirty dog
  • Offensive
9 8.0

A person who behaves badly or cheats others

dirty pool
  • Informal
3 8.2

Unfair or dishonest behavior in a competition

3 4.1

Having a face covered in dirt

dirty war
  • Offensive
2 9.2

A secret campaign by a government against suspected opponents using kidnapping, torture, and murder

dirty weekend
  • Offensive
2 8.8

A weekend away by a couple for private sexual or romantic activities

dirty story
  • Offensive
1 8.1

A joke or story about sex that people find rude

dirty thoughts
  • Offensive
1 7.2

Thoughts about sex that people think are improper or embarrassing

dirty linen
  • Informal
1 7.9

Private family or personal matters that embarrass people if the public finds out

1 6.6

A quick temporary solution made without care for small details

8.9

A short secret trip for a romantic or sexual meeting, often an affair

dirty code
  • Jargon
7.2

Computer code that is badly written and hard to read or fix

How Disapproving

venomous
8 6.3
spiteful
22 5.1
hostile
238 4.6
dirty
39 2.8
disapproving
10 3.4
icy
16 3.3

Surface Forms

dirty positive
dirtier comparative
dirtiest superlative

Morphology

dirty = dirt (semi-transparent) = dirt + y

The sense 'dirty look' is a conventionalized metaphor where 'dirty' conveys hostility or disapproval rather than literal uncleanliness.

Etymology

Dirty look means a hostile or unfriendly glance, from the idea of 'dirty' as 'bad' or 'stained'. A dirty look shows dislike or disrespect.