pay dirt

pay dirt

Something very, particularly, or abundantly valuable or useful, especially that which has been discovered after a long or arduous search. Used especially in the phrase "hit/strike pay dirt." I was combing through books in the library for hours trying to find material for my thesis, when finally I hit pay dirt with an old collection of literary criticisms from the 1970s. I loved to search through my grandfather's attic when I was a kid, convinced that someday I would strike pay dirt.
See also: dirt, pay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • old enough to be (one's) mother
  • old enough to be mother
  • the jaws of (something)
  • the jaws of death, defeat, etc.
  • not (all) that good/bad/well/poor/etc.
  • not all that good, well, etc.
  • odds and ends
  • scrimp
  • scrimp and save
  • skimp and save
References in periodicals archive
Pay dirt! To my surprise, 1989 was one of the better years for champagne production.
Forever blowing bubbly
On November 14 last year, Eugene struck pay dirt when a giant 7x7 whitetail moseyed by his stand.
Alberta record breaker
I'm puzzled by his recent New Democrat tangent, acrobatically putting the best possible face on middle-class pocketbook losses, and disparaging broad social programs as pay dirt for Democrats.
Who's stressed?
The one that bound to DAF hit pay dirt because DAF seems to take it to the tight junction," he says.
Thugs and bugs: cellular pathogens act like human criminals
Editor's note: You've struck pay dirt with your Stryker suggestions.
Striking Stryker suggestions
"We wanted something that matched the rest of the hardware in the house." (He hit pay dirt in a specialty hardware store).
Thinking ahead
And by the time workers get to that pay dirt, they will have earned it.
Mine manager talks numbers, the North and a new name for Victor
Despite the charm such installations exude, there's always the lingering feeling that the paintings themselves don't quite need their decor, that they've somehow already managed to internalize and distill all the theoretical pay dirt their adornments might accrue.
Palazzo intrigue
In January he hit pay dirt when an LA-based film company made enquiries about buying the screen rights.
ROCK 'N' ROLL CAMERAS; Zany Irish band set to star in US telly movie
If the new party is to succeed, it must land in between--smack in the centre right: "That is the only spot where it can hope to hit political pay dirt."
Will Harper abandon the Conservatives?
Like other commentators who headed to the diggings, he complained about the miners' violent conduct and marveled at the effort one needed to hit pay dirt.
The Gold Rush Diary of Ramon Gil Navarro
dollar in two years, has pushed a wave of Venezuelan franchisers and other small businesses to seek their fortunes on foreign shores--and more than a few are striking pay dirt. While Martini's Venezuelan sales dropped 40% last year, he now has 30 pushcarts in Ecuador and 53 stands in southern Florida and plans to open more in Costa Rica, Spain and perhaps China.
Have pushcart, will travel: voting with their feet, Venezuela's small business owners look outside for markets
The former Centennial Bank is one of the best examples of a Eugene-Springfield firm hitting pay dirt in Portland.
Portland can be a tempting business market
In terms of results, Nitragin struck pay dirt at every level and continues to reap the benefits of show efforts.
Making the most of trade shows: what's the fastest way to accelerate awareness of a company's new message? turn farmers into racecar drivers! (Farm Show Guide)
If you've dug around for a good Web site on mining but had difficulty uncovering anything, you are sure to hit pay dirt with this site.
The mining news. (Hot Green Web Sites)