pay dirt

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiominformalfigurative

   A valuable discovery or a successful outcome, usually after a long search or effort.

   Grammar: Almost always used with hit or strike: they hit pay dirt.

   Patterns

   • hit pay dirt
   • strike pay dirt

   The detectives hit pay dirt when they found the diary.

   After months of testing, the researchers finally struck pay dirt.

   The band hit pay dirt with their third album.

2. 2noununcountablespecialist

   Earth or gravel that contains enough gold or other metal to be worth mining.

   Grammar: Uncountable noun in mining contexts.

   Patterns

   • wash pay dirt
   • find pay dirt

   The miners washed the pay dirt in the creek.

   They dug for weeks before finding pay dirt.

   A layer of pay dirt lay under the gravel.

Common combinations

hit pay dirt

The treasure hunters hit pay dirt in the old cellar.

strike pay dirt

The startup struck pay dirt with its first product.

find pay dirt

We found pay dirt in the archive.

finally hit pay dirt

She finally hit pay dirt after trying ten recipes.

pay dirt at last

Pay dirt at last, the team found the missing file.

Synonyms and how they differ

jackpot

Jackpot suggests a big prize won by luck, whereas pay dirt suggests a reward after effort.

windfall

Windfall is unexpected money or luck, while pay dirt is something found by searching.

goldmine

Goldmine describes a continuing source of wealth, not a single moment of discovery.

breakthrough

Breakthrough is a more formal word for an important advance, especially in science.

Opposites

Word family

pay verb

to give money for something

dirt noun

soil or earth

paydirt noun

alternate spelling as one word

pay-off noun

a reward or result

Commonly confused: pay dirt or dirt cheap?

Practice

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