dig
1to 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 by up).
to form or excavate (a hole, tunnel, etc.) by removing material.
to unearth, obtain, or remove by digging (often followed by up or out).
to find or discover by effort or search.
to poke, thrust, or force (usually followed by in or into): He dug his heel into the ground.
an archaeological site undergoing excavation.
digs, Informal. living quarters; lodgings.
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 into, Informal. to attack, work, or apply oneself voraciously, vigorously, or energetically: to dig into one's work;to dig into a meal.
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.
dig up,
to discover in the course of digging.
to locate; find: to dig up information.
Origin of dig
1Other definitions for dig (2 of 3)
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.
Origin of dig
2Other definitions for dig. (3 of 3)
digest.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dig in a sentence
We evaluated about a dozen companies in the AI space and dug in deep on six of them.
Onit acquires legal startup McCarthyFinch to inject AI into legal workflows | Ron Miller | November 20, 2020 | TechCrunchA strong burst of water dug into his hand, tearing open his rubber glove and slicing the skin.
Inside the Lives of Immigrant Teens Working Dangerous Night Shifts in Suburban Factories | by Melissa Sanchez | November 19, 2020 | ProPublicaThey don’t want to put themselves out of a job by doing a lot of digging and showing that, “Oh, it turns out our TV ads are unprofitable.”
Does Advertising Actually Work? (Part 1: TV) (Ep. 440) | Stephen J. Dubner | November 19, 2020 | FreakonomicsMatze suggested that Parler will continue to “defy authoritarian content curation,” a dig at social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, which have tightened their rules on misinformation as the election neared.
What my day on conservative social network Parler was like | Danielle Abril | November 12, 2020 | FortunePart of that means digging into human-wildlife relationships—and how they change as people take over more of the world.
How animals can help us demystify viruses | Sandra Gutierrez G. | November 12, 2020 | Popular-Science
He said he spent his time doing “Mickey Mouse make-work,” digging though old records for long-abandoned well sites.
Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired. | David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News | December 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs a kid, you were convinced that enough digging in the backyard would take you straight through to China.
For a while we sit quietly digging through pieces of fish, the tiny bones getting stuck in our teeth.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley | Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman | November 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“There are various iterations of my life out there,” says Billy Hayes, digging into his Eggs Benedict at a Manhattan diner.
The Unbelievable (True) Story of the World’s Most Infamous Hash Smuggler | Marlow Stern | November 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTShe said: “They said that because of a by-law I had to have the body cremated or buried within 24 hours after digging it up.”
Hope and Change? Burma Kills a Journalist Before Obama Arrives | Joshua Carroll | November 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut Grandfather Mole only shook his head impatiently, as if to say that digging a hole wouldn't help him this time.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyAnd being very fond of clover blossoms, Billy hated to spend his time digging.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyI can't see ourselves digging down for sixty cents a thousand for driving our logs—contracts or no contracts.
Scattergood Baines | Clarence Budington KellandFrequently two men were seen on one horse, digging in their heels and urging him to the utmost speed.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnWhile digging here in 1856, De Rossi found the important epitaph of Eusebius before given.
The Catacombs of Rome | William Henry Withrow
British Dictionary definitions for dig (1 of 2)
/ (dɪɡ) /
(when tr, often foll by up) 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
(tr) informal to like, understand, or appreciate
(intr) US slang to work hard, esp for an examination
(intr) British informal 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
Origin of dig
1British Dictionary definitions for Dig (2 of 2)
/ (dɪɡ) /
NZ informal short for Digger (def. 1)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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