dirty word
26
7.1
- noun
- /ˈdɜrti wɜrd/
- NSFW
- Do not use that dirty word in front of children.
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Watch on YouTubeSo that chapter, I mean, hard work is a dirty word right now.
- So that chapter, I mean, hard work is a dirty word right now.
- He thinks that wealth is almost like a dirty word.
- With me, it was sexuality and specifically puberty, which to some people was a very dirty word.
- Does it bother you or do you think that's in part justified a kind of using the word billionaire as a dirty word?
- We've titled today's presentation Beyond the Seven Dirty Words Protecting the Internet and New Media from Content Regulation.
- And I'm just like, when did being kind and inclusion and diversity, when did all that become dirty words?
- Headband man lost it behind us and said dirty words to Elloitius, who said better dirty words back.
Examples
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It's like the word "profit" is a dirty word.
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Do not say that dirty word in front of me.
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Surprise is a dirty word in this business.
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"Politics" is a dirty word to many social workers.
Academic text (1990) -
Sweden has become a dirty word.
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Politics has become a dirty word to many participants in international development discourse.
Academic text (1999) -
I think this whole idea of "conservation is a dirty word" also needs revisiting.
Blog text (15) -
Since you guys think socialism is a dirty word, you lack a strong social democratic party.
Blog text (12) -
It's primarily among the well-to-do that conservation is a dirty word, and maybe it's time to talk about that.
Blog text (15) -
Conservatism's a dirty word now, mostly because those who claim its mantle are really anti-egalitarian radicals.
Blog text (26)
Synonyms
95
8.2
A rude word used to show strong anger or surprise
50
7.4
Sexual or rude material that offends people
47
6.0
Words that are rude and upset people, often about religion
35
3.9
A bad word said in anger
33
7.0
Strong rude words that shock or upset people
18
8.8
Words, pictures, or stories about sex that people find rude
11
5.8
A rude word people say to show strong anger or surprise
4
8.6
A rude word people say when they are angry
2
6.1
A rude word that is not for children
1
7.2
A rude word people say when they are angry or surprised
1
9.8
A rude word about sex or body parts
1
8.6
A rude word people use when angry or to insult someone
1
9.2
An offensive or rude word considered inappropriate in polite speech
1
9.9
An insulting word used instead of a more neutral one
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an offensive or indecent word' is straightforwardly composed from 'dirty' (indecent/obscene) + 'word' (a lexical item), so the overall sense can be directly inferred from the parts. This compositional pattern is common and cross-linguistically recoverable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Dirty word comes from a simple picture of something soiled or shameful: people used dirty to describe speech that made others feel embarrassed and put it before word to show the problem is the language itself. So a dirty word is a 'word' people consider 'offensive' or 'rude' today.