[ex.ca.vate] vb -vat.ed ; -vat.ing [L excavatus, pp. of excavare, fr. ex- + cavare to make hollow--more at cavatina] vt (1599) 1: to form a cavity or hole in
2: to form by hollowing out
3: to dig out and remove
4: to expose to view by or as if by digging away a covering "~ the remains of an ancient civilization" "another writer whose work I excavated --William Zinsser" ~ vi: to make excavations