dig out

1. Extract, remove, as in He was determined to dig out every bit of metal he could find . [Late 1300s]

2. Find by searching for, as in He dug out his first contract from the file . [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Cars whip by — dangerously close — but she enjoys the work of digging out leaves, dirt and pine cones.

From Los Angeles Times

"We need the right equipment to carry out this rescue," Arif Khan, who was helping dig out the bodies, told us.

From BBC

Traditionally, big dinosaur bones have been the biggest prize, so there has been less interest in digging out smaller fossils.

From BBC

But she has a lot of work to do before she can safely dig out the paintbrush.

From BBC

Getting there required a herculean effort, the Dodgers digging out of a big early hole that had been entirely of their own making.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abolish 
• clear away 
• cut out 
• delete 
• discard 
• discharge 
• dismiss 
• eliminate 
• erase 
• evacuate 
• expel 
• extract 
• get rid of 
• oust 
• pull out 
• raise 
• separate 
• ship 
• take out 
• transfer