Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Foul or dirty matter.
- noun Disgusting garbage or refuse.
- noun A dirty or corrupt condition; foulness.
- noun Something, such as language or printed matter, considered obscene, prurient, or immoral.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Anything that soils or defiles; foul, offensive matter; also, the state of being defiled; a foul condition; squalor; nastiness.
- noun Anything that sullies or befouls the moral character; pollution; defilement.
- noun Figuratively, a low or foul fellow; a wretch.
- noun Synonyms Impurity, grossness, obscenity.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Foul matter; anything that soils or defiles; dirt; nastiness.
- noun Anything that sullies or defiles the moral character; corruption; pollution.
- noun (Med.) a disease supposed to be due to pollution of the soil or water.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun
dirt - noun
smut - noun UK, pejorative, slang the
police - noun US, agriculture, dated
weeds growing onpasture land
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun any substance considered disgustingly foul or unpleasant
- noun a state characterized by foul or disgusting dirt and refuse
- noun the state of being covered with unclean things
- noun an offensive or indecent word or phrase
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word filth.
Examples
-
Even the cockroach, which lives on what we call filth, spends the greater part of its time in the cultivation of personal cleanliness.
The Task of Social Hygiene Havelock Ellis 1899
-
The homeowners association for Nashville's Windsor Towers filed suit and won its case in trial court after describing, with records presented in court, what they characterized as filth and hoarding in the owner's first-floor unit.
The Seattle Times 2011
-
Their use of the word "filth" should be a stark warning to anyone who thinks these people can be reasoned with.
Crooks and Liars scarce 2011
-
She's mad about what she calls filth: a health hazard piling up in her backyard at the Homestead Gardens subdivision.
-
The TAWK program aims at raising awareness of animal rights, animal cruelty, dog animal rescue operation in San Rafael, after inspectors found what they called filth that demonstrated "weeks if not months of improper cleaning protocols."
WN.com - Articles related to 30 Shih Tzus seized from Minneapolis home 2009
-
But when seemingly useless possessions and even rotten food pile up, blocking exits and filling beds, sofas, sinks and bathtubs, animal rescue operation in San Rafael, after inspectors found what they called filth that demonstrated "weeks if not months of improper cleaning protocols."
WN.com - Articles related to 30 Shih Tzus seized from Minneapolis home 2009
-
The dogs, mainly animal rescue operation in San Rafael, after inspectors found what they called filth that demonstrated "weeks if not months of improper cleaning protocols."
WN.com - Articles related to 30 Shih Tzus seized from Minneapolis home 2009
-
The dogs, mainly animal rescue operation in San Rafael, after inspectors found what they called filth that demonstrated "weeks if not months of improper cleaning protocols."
WN.com - Articles related to 30 Shih Tzus seized from Minneapolis home 2009
-
The reality is, you are knee deep in filth on the sinking barge that is the Republican Fascist XianFundie scow.
Think Progress » Gingrich Pledges Government Shutdown If GOP Wins Back House And Senate 2010
-
Mr. COLTON: Right, this was after he got released, where sanitation and cleanliness became, you know, so important to him because he lived, you know, in filth for so long and wasn't allowed to take a shower.
bilby commented on the word filth
British slang - "filth - Noun. The police. E.g.'The filth are out in force tonight, so watch your behaviour and no drunkeness.' 1950s"
- peevish.co.uk
September 23, 2008
sionnach commented on the word filth
Acronym: "Failed in London, Try Honkers", referring to the phenomenon of England's not-quite-best-and-brightest moving to Hong Kong in an effort to boost their success in the financial or business world. A career path which was presumably closed off after the 1999 handover of the colony to the Chinese.
February 9, 2009