unearth
Americanverb (used with object)
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to dig or get out of the earth; dig up.
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to uncover or bring to light by search, inquiry, etc..
The lawyer unearthed new evidence.
verb
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to dig up out of the earth
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to reveal or discover, esp by exhaustive searching
Etymology
Origin of unearth
First recorded in 1400–50, unearth is from the late Middle English word unerthen. See un- 2, earth
Explanation
To unearth something is to dig it up. You could unearth a coffin, or even a tee shirt buried in the bottom of a drawer. To put something in the earth is to bury it, to unearth it is to take it back out. When digging in the yard you’ll probably unearth creepy-crawlies and, with luck, a lost treasure will surface. To bring anything hidden “into the light” is to unearth it. You can unearth the secret affairs of your lover, you can unearth the lies of a corrupt government, and you may even unearth a child’s secret candy stash from under the mattress.
Vocabulary lists containing unearth
Holes
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"The End and the Beginning," Vocabulary from the poem
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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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.
The musician spoke to Newsnight in his only UK broadcast interview ahead of the launch of his new album Unreal Unearth.
From BBC • Aug. 17, 2023
"Unearth" from 2020 straight up has the tagline: "A fracking horror story."
From Salon • Oct. 8, 2022
Nikki Vargas, editor in chief of travel media company Unearth Women, has also been exploring her backyard through her camera lens.
From Washington Post • Jun. 18, 2020
Unearth some vegetarian cookbooks at the library for your child to explore.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 5, 2013
Unearth a few forgotten doubts, Or dig your elbow into some new dogma, And you will see the mob fawn at your feet, Believing you the greatest mind since Plato.
From Mr. Faust by Ficke, Arthur Davison
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.
