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Glite Dictionary
to dig up dirt

to dig up dirt

9 6.5
Look for and tell secret or bad things about someone to harm them
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : sacar trapos sucios
  • Instead of campaigning, they are digging up dirt on their opponent.
  • dig up dirt on opponent
  • effort to dig up dirt
  • trying to dig up dirt

The same thing for OCCRP state USAID funds the hit piece journalist, the hit piece journalist dig up dirt.

Examples

  • The media is dirty but selective about whom they dig up dirt on.

    Blog text (6)

  • I come from a family of cops, it's in my nature to dig up dirt.

    What's Your Number? (2011)

  • Remember how you said you were good at digging up dirt?

    What's Your Number? (2011)

  • I was surprised that they might think I was trying to dig up dirt or make people look bad.

    Academic text (2009)

  • He's been digging up dirt on Alyssa.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • I can't stand listening to "opinions" of people who make their living digging up dirt on others to sell ratings, newspapers, magazines, etc.

    Blog text (25)

  • Canetta was supposed to be digging up dirt on Kerry and Pierce, the Caloco guy.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • I know you've been trying to dig up dirt on me.

  • They hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on him before the trial.

Synonyms

to find out
vsto dig up dirt
398 1.1

To discover and show that someone has done something wrong

is often aimed at harming reputation rather than revealing wrongdoing for justice
to pry
vsto dig up dirt
66 5.3

Try to learn about someone's private life in an impolite way

is focused on exposing scandalous damaging information to harm reputation rather than mere nosiness
to pry into
vsto dig up dirt
  • Informal
8 7.2

Try to find out private things about someone in an annoying way

is aimed at finding scandalous damaging information to harm reputation rather than mere annoyance
to get the goods on
vsto dig up dirt
  • Informal
3 7.7

To find secret or harmful information about someone to use against them

aims primarily to damage a person's reputation rather than to secure leverage
to get the goods
vsto dig up dirt
  • Informal
1 6.9

To find proof that someone did something wrong

seeks to expose scandalous details mainly to harm reputation rather than just collect proof
to dish the dirt
vsto dig up dirt
  • Informal
1 8.5

To tell private or bad things about someone to other people

is more about deliberate searching to uncover damaging facts rather than casual gossip
to rake up
vsto dig up dirt
  • Informal
1 6.8

Bring up old unpleasant events or arguments in public unnecessarily

targets scandalous information found by searching rather than reviving past matters

Antonyms

to protect
∞ 1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

to safeguard
45 3.7

To protect someone or something from harm

How Damaging

to ruin
∞ 2.0
to dig up dirt
  • Informal
9 6.5
to expose
342 4.1
to poke into
  • Informal
1 5.2

Surface Forms

dig up dirt infinitive
digging up dirt present participle
digs up dirt third person singular
dug up dirt past
dug up dirt past participle

Morphology

dig + up + dirt

The verb phrase 'dig up' has a clear compositional meaning of uncovering and when combined with 'dirt' (here meaning damaging information) the overall sense 'uncover scandalous information' is derivable. However, this relies on a metaphorical extension of physical digging and on knowing the slang sense of 'dirt' as gossip, so the connection is not entirely literal or guaranteed for all B1 learners without that lexical knowledge.

Etymology

Dig up dirt comes from the simple picture of someone using a shovel to dig up dirt and show what was hidden under the ground. That's why it means 'to look for and reveal secret or embarrassing facts that hurt someone's reputation'.