filthy
/ˈfɪlθi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɪlθi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfil-thē/ (ame, mw) · /ˈfɪl.θi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɪl.θi/ (ame, ipa)
filthy — adjective
- filthypositive
- filthiercomparative
- filthiestsuperlative
1. covered in dirt, mud, or grease to a degree that feels disgusting and makes you
covered in dirt, mud, or grease to a degree that feels disgusting and makes you want to clean or wash whatever you are looking at.
Liam came home from football practice with filthy boots and muddy knees.
attributive: filthy + concrete noun (boots, hands, clothes)
The kitchen sink was absolutely filthy after the weekend dinner party.
intensifier: absolutely / completely + filthy
Renata refused to sit on the bench because it was filthy from pigeon droppings.
After two weeks of camping, every shirt in the bag smelled filthy.
Aaron's hands were filthy from changing the oil on the old car.
用法筆記
Stronger than 'dirty'; suggests the speaker finds the dirt disgusting, not just present. Often paired with intensifiers like 'absolutely' or 'completely'.
常見錯誤
2. describes language, jokes, songs, or images that are crudely focused on sex in a
describes language, jokes, songs, or images that are crudely focused on sex in a way many people find shocking or offensive.
Noa walked out of the comedy show because the jokes turned filthy.
subject is speech/jokes/lyrics + turn/become + filthy
The librarian quickly hid the magazine because the cartoons inside were filthy.
Ziad was shocked by the filthy lyrics in the song his cousin played.
The film was rated 18 because of its filthy dialogue and graphic scenes.
- clean
of humour or language: not sexual or rude
用法筆記
Subject is almost always speech, writing, or images (lyrics, jokes, language, pictures, films) — not a person directly. Distinguish from sense 1 by what noun it modifies: dirty surfaces vs sexual content.
常見錯誤
3. showing strong anger through a sour face or hostile attitude; usually attached t
showing strong anger through a sour face or hostile attitude; usually attached to a noun like 'mood', 'temper', or 'look' rather than describing the person directly.
Sana was in a filthy mood all morning after losing her phone on the bus.
common pattern: in a filthy mood / temper
The coach gave Aaron a filthy look when he arrived late for warm-up.
give someone a filthy look
Élise stomped into the office with a filthy temper and slammed the door.
Don't ask Diya about the meeting — she's been in a filthy mood since lunchtime.
- cheerful
describes a happy, bright mood
文法句型
filthy + mood/temper/look
用法筆記
British informal; modifies 'mood', 'temper', or 'look' — not the person. Distinguish from sense 1 by the noun: dirt-related nouns vs. emotion-related nouns.
常見錯誤
4. in sport, used as a compliment for a shot, pitch, or piece of skill so well-exec
in sport, used as a compliment for a shot, pitch, or piece of skill so well-executed and deceptive that the opponent has almost no chance of stopping it.
The pitcher's curveball was absolutely filthy and struck Marco out in three pitches.
approving use in baseball: filthy curveball / slider / pitch
Liam scored from twenty metres with a filthy backheel that fooled the goalkeeper.
filthy + finish/move/dribble in football contexts
Commentators called the crossover dribble filthy because the defender fell over backwards.
Yan's drop-shot was so filthy the opponent didn't even move toward the ball.
- tame
of a shot: easy to read and easy to defend
用法筆記
Praise, not criticism — opposite sentiment from senses 1–3. Common in baseball ('filthy pitch'), basketball, tennis, and football commentary. Subject is the skill or shot, not the player.
常見錯誤
5. morally disgusting; describes an action, deal, or trick that is dishonest and cr
morally disgusting; describes an action, deal, or trick that is dishonest and cruel enough that people view it with strong contempt.
Stealing from his own grandmother was a filthy thing for Ziad to do.
a filthy thing to do / a filthy trick
The judge condemned the filthy scheme to defraud elderly homeowners of their savings.
filthy + scheme / lie / deal in moral-judgement contexts
Spreading those rumours about Renata was a filthy trick by her ex-roommate.
Amani called the leaked emails a filthy attempt to destroy a rival's reputation.
- despicable
more formal; deserving complete contempt
- vile
very close in meaning; slightly more literary
- underhand
focuses on the sneaky, secret nature of the act
- noble
morally admirable and honest
- honourable
behaving in a fair, principled way
用法筆記
Modifies a deed, scheme, or trick — not the person directly. Stronger and more emotional than 'dishonest'; signals the speaker's outrage. Distinguish from sense 2 by content: moral wrongdoing vs sexual obscenity.
常見錯誤
filthy — adverb
1. to a level of dirtiness that goes well past ordinary mess; used as an intensifie
to a level of dirtiness that goes well past ordinary mess; used as an intensifier almost exclusively before the adjective 'dirty'.
After crawling under the house, Sana came out filthy dirty from head to toe.
fixed pattern: filthy dirty (almost the only adverb use of sense 1)
The mechanic's overalls were filthy dirty by the end of every shift.
Yan warned the children not to touch the bin because it was filthy dirty.
The hikers' boots were filthy dirty after a long walk through the muddy field.
- extremely
neutral, all-purpose intensifier
- absolutely
strong intensifier; works with 'filthy' as well
文法句型
filthy + adjective (dirty)
用法筆記
Almost always paired with 'dirty' as a fixed intensifier. Rare outside this pattern; in most other intensifier slots a speaker would say 'really' or 'extremely'.
常見錯誤
2. to a degree of wealth so large that it feels almost shameful; used as an intensi
to a degree of wealth so large that it feels almost shameful; used as an intensifier almost exclusively before the adjective 'rich'.
Marco's uncle became filthy rich after selling his tech start-up to a bank.
fixed pattern: filthy rich (the canonical use of adverb sense 2)
Amani joked that she would marry someone filthy rich and retire by thirty.
The villa belonged to a filthy rich family from Geneva who visited twice a year.
Aaron said he didn't want to be filthy rich, just comfortable enough to travel.
- dirt
as in 'dirt poor' — the opposite extreme of wealth
文法句型
filthy + rich
用法筆記
Almost exclusively in the fixed phrase 'filthy rich'. Carries a hint of envy or moral disapproval — the wealth is so extreme it feels excessive. Distinguish from adverb sense 1 by the following adjective: 'dirty' vs 'rich'.