VOA词汇掌故2024--What Does It Mean to 'Hit Pay Dirt'?

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples and notes on usage.

Many valuable materials are buried deep inside the ground, such as gold, oil and diamonds. But finding these riches and bringing them to the surface takes much time and effort.

In the past, the term pay dirt was used to describe something found in the dirt that could bring you money. Gold is a common example of pay dirt. In fact, word experts say the term dates back to when North America's famous gold rush was happening.

By the mid-1800s, thousands of people had come to parts of the United States and Canada to search for gold. The work was hard and dangerous. The weather and terrain¹ presented many difficulties.

Here is an example of how to use pay dirt from Cambridge's online dictionary:

Gold rushes continued into the 19th century as lucky prospectors³ struck pay dirt.

However, pay dirt does not have to be a valuable material found in the ground. These days, it can also describe something that produces money or profit. Or it can even be the money or profit itself.

Here are some additional examples:

Email addresses are the new pay dirt in social media marketing⁴. You can reach a possible buyer in their inbox.

The musical group hit pay dirt with their song after it went viral on TikTok.

And that gives us the expression to hit pay dirt.

To hit pay dirt means to do or find something that results in money or success. And like digging gold, it usually doesn't come easily. It requires work. When you hit pay dirt, you work hard to make money or profit from an idea or activity.

We often use the verb "hit" when using the term pay dirt. But sometimes we also say "strike" pay dirt. This is similar to the expression to strike it rich. Many people have dreams of striking it rich one day.

In her book Gold Rush, author and illustrator Flora⁵ Delargy describes the process of hitting pay dirt. She writes that in order to get large amounts of pay dirt out of the ground, "miners would have to break through layers of permafrost to reach the gravel⁶ bedrock beneath."

This description demonstrates the difficulties faced by miners seeking to strike pay dirt.

And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.

Words in This Story

terrain -n. the surface features of an area of land

prospector² -n. someone who explores for mineral deposits

miner -n. one who digs or forms a pit or tunnel from which minerals (as coal, gold, or diamonds) are taken

permafrost -n. a permanently⁷ frozen layer at variable depth below the surface in frigid⁸ regions of a planet (such as earth)

gravel -n. loose rounded fragments of rock

bedrock -n. the solid rock lying under surface materials (as soil) that are not in layers

1 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

2 prospector   

n.探矿者

参考例句：

• Although he failed as a prospector, he succeeded as a journalist.他作为采矿者遭遇失败，但作为记者大获成功。
• The prospector staked his claim to the mine he discovered.那个勘探者立桩标出他所发现的矿区地以示归己所有。

3 prospectors   

n.勘探者，探矿者( prospector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The prospectors have discovered such minerals as calcite,quartz and asbestos here. 探矿人员在这里发现了方解石、石英、石棉等矿藏。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The prospectors have discovered many minerals here. 探矿人员在这里发现了许多矿藏。 来自辞典例句

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 flora   

n.(某一地区的)植物群

参考例句：

• The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
• All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。

6 gravel   

n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石

参考例句：

• We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
• More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。

7 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

8 frigid   

adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的

参考例句：

• The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨，他在下面呆不了太长时间。
• She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。