dig up
Idioms-
Search out, find, obtain, as in I'm sure I can dig up a few more supporters . [Mid-1800s]
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. Find derogatory information about someone or something. For example, The editor assigned him to dig up all the dirt on the candidates . The slangy use of the noun dirt for “embarrassing or scandalous information” dates from about 1840, but this metaphoric expression is a century newer.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although it is unclear whether the accounts betting on the Iran cease-fire are insiders, an investigation by Polymarket could dig up the truth.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
He’ll even dig up the grave of a suitable love match.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
It’s also a signal that anyone planning to dig up those rare earths from Greenland’s tundra will have Washington’s support to overcome any resistance from China or local environmentalists.
From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026
When taking a picture of a mushroom for identification, you should show where it was found and dig up the entire mushroom, including its stem and base.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025
“We gotta do this thing. Sure, we’re the underdogs. The small fries in the McDonald’s of life. But if we dig up that treasure chest, we’ll have some serious coinage.”
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
