Meaning of dirty money | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Money that is illegally gained, illegally transferred or illegally utilized, especially money gained through forgery, bribery, prostitution, money laundering, or theft.
   idiomatic, uncountable
2. Extra money paid to workers as compensation for dirty or dangerous work.
   informal, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Corruption is a force multiplier for the West's enemies, and yet the West continues to accept dirty money into its economies by the billion.”

“Taken together, the articles exposed a dark truth: “Dirty money” — terrorist financing, drug cartel funds, fortunes embezzled from developing nations, the profits from organized crime — flows so freely through the world’s most powerful financial institutions that it has become inextricable from the so-called legitimate economy.”

“The days should be long gone when workers are paid dirty money to do a risky job […]”

“[…] much of the set was smeared with oil and grease. This did, however, lead to a very unpleasant working environment. 'Everyone working on the film was paid “dirty” money,' recalls Maurice. 'I got seven and six a week “dirty money”, which was wonderful for a fifteen-year-old.'”

CEFR level