pay dirt

noun

1
: earth or ore that yields a profit to a miner
2
: a useful or remunerative discovery or object

Examples of pay dirt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The plan seems to be: sell the pricey R1T pickup and R1S SUV (think: Model S price) for five years then hit pay dirt with a future high-volume, lower-cost vehicle, namely the future R2 (think: Model 3). Brooke Crothers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Already, Russ and Michelle had hit pay dirt, encountering a Riversider named Beth Cawiezell doing yard work. Rick Montgomery, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 But the 49ers asked the DMV for an extension and now have until May 31 to hit pay dirt or fumble the opportunity. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2024 But where some saw evil, depravity and tragedy, media companies saw pay dirt, swooping in with lucrative bids to turn the whole thing into content. Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023 The conservative campaign to dismantle corporate diversity initiatives has hit pay dirt by focusing on a surprising target: Law firms. Taylor Telford, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2023 Other Global Crossing executives hit pay dirt from stock sales as well. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 In late September, trees don their rich autumn jewel tones, and visitors rush to Dahlonega in the North Georgia Mountains with the enthusiasm of the gold miners who hit pay dirt here in 1828. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2023 Kentucky hits pay dirt on its final possession: Ray Davis runs it in from 30 yards out for his second touchdown of the day. The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pay dirt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pay dirt was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near pay dirt

Cite this Entry

“Pay dirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20dirt. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pay dirt

noun
1
: earth or ore that produces a profit for a miner
2
: a useful or profitable discovery or object

More from Merriam-Webster on pay dirt

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