# dirt file

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dirt-file
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A compilation of negative gossip or facts about someone.

## Examples

- The rival candidate kept a dirt file on his opponent.
- During the heated election, the campaign manager searched for a dirt file to damage the reputation of the other party.
- The investigative journalist spent years compiling a comprehensive dirt file, documenting every questionable decision the executive had made throughout his long career.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.