to break up, turn over, or remove earth, sand, etc., as with a shovel, spade, bulldozer, or claw; make an excavation.
to make one's way or work by or as by removing or turning over material.
to dig through the files.
to break up, turn over, or loosen (earth, sand, etc.), as with a shovel, spade, or bulldozer (often followed byup ).
to form or excavate (a hole, tunnel, etc.) by removing material.
to unearth, obtain, or remove by digging (often followed by up orout ).
to find or discover by effort or search.
to poke, thrust, or force (usually followed by in orinto ).
He dug his heel into the ground.
dig up
to discover in the course of digging.
to locate; find.
to dig up information.
dig into to attack, work, or apply oneself voraciously, vigorously, or energetically: to dig into a meal.
to dig into one's work;
to dig into a meal.
dig in
to dig trenches, as in order to defend a position in battle.
to maintain one's opinion or position.
to start eating.
dig out
to remove earth or debris from by digging.
to hollow out by digging.
to find by searching.
to dig out facts for a term paper.
to understand.
Can you dig what I'm saying?
to take notice of.
Dig those shoes he's wearing.
to like, love, or enjoy.
She digs that kind of music. We really dig each other.
to cut into, break up, and turn over or remove (earth, soil, etc), esp with a spade
to form or excavate (a hole, tunnel, passage, etc) by digging, usually with an implement or (of animals) with feet, claws, etc
to dig a tunnel
(often foll by through) to make or force (one's way), esp by removing obstructions
he dug his way through the crowd
(tr; often foll by out or up) to obtain by digging
to dig potatoes
to dig up treasure
(tr; often foll by out or up) to find or discover by effort or searching
to dig out unexpected facts
(tr; foll by in or into) to thrust or jab (a sharp instrument, weapon, etc); poke
he dug his spurs into the horse's side
(tr; foll by in or into) to mix (compost, etc) with soil by digging
informal (tr) to like, understand, or appreciate
slang (intr) to work hard, esp for an examination
informal (intr) to have lodgings
I dig in South London
the act of digging
a thrust or poke, esp in the ribs
a cutting or sarcastic remark
informal an archaeological excavation
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English diggen, deggen; perhaps from Middle French diguer “to dig,” from the same Germanic source as ditch ( def. )
First recorded in 1935–40; origin uncertain; perhaps the same as dig 1 ( def. )
When you dig, you scoop or shovel up dirt, sand, or some other material. Your dog might whine to go outside so she can dig a hole in your dad's garden. You can dig with your hands, a shovel, or even a tractor or backhoe. City crews dig up roads to repair water pipes, and gardeners dig small for planting bulbs. You can even say you dig your brother in the side when you jab him there. If someone says, "I dig you," they mean, "I understand," and if they say, "I dig your outfit," they like it. Both slang usages come from 1930s African American English.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If plastic gets stuck on their bodies, it can dig into their skin as they grow.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
Celtic were again made to dig deep in the quarter-final as they needed penalties to beat rivals Rangers at Ibrox.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
There’s also a sand pit where children can dig up replicas of pygmy mammoth bones.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
He uses public and proprietary data and public records to dig into how financial, business, economic, legal and regulatory issues affect Americans' lives.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
I dig my fingers into the wood and just focus on slowing down my heart, because it is slamming into my chest and I can’t breathe.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
