/ dɪg; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( dig·ging , dug , dug / dʌg; NAmE /)
1.
dig (for sth) to make a hole in the ground or to move soil from one place to another using your hands, a tool or a machine :
[ v ]
to dig for coal / gold / Roman remains
They dug deeper and deeper but still found nothing.
I think I'll do some digging in the garden.
[ vn ]
to dig a ditch / grave / hole / tunnel
( BrE )
I've been digging the garden.
2.
[ vn ] to remove sth from the ground with a tool :
I'll dig some potatoes for lunch.
3.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] to search in sth in order to find an object in sth :
I dug around in my bag for a pen.
4.
[ vn ] ( old-fashioned , slang ) to approve of or like sth very much
•
IDIOMS
- dig deep (into sth)
- dig your heels / toes in
- dig (deep) in / into your pocket(s), savings, etc.
- dig sb in the ribs
- dig yourself into a hole
- dig your own grave | dig a grave for yourself
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- dig in
- dig sth in
- dig yourself in
- dig into sth
- dig sth into sth
- dig sb/sth out (of sth)
- dig sth over
- dig sth up
■ noun
—see also digs
1.
a small push with your finger or elbow :
She gave him a dig in the ribs .
2.
dig (at sb/sth) a remark that is intended to annoy or upset sb :
He kept making sly little digs at me.
to have a dig at sb/sth
3.
an occasion when an organized group of people dig in the ground to discover old buildings or objects, in order to find out more about their history
SYN excavation :
to go on a dig
an archaeological dig
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : perhaps from Old English dīc ditch .