I. dig 1 S2 /dɪɡ/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle dug /dʌɡ/, present participle digging )
[ Date: 1100-1200 ; Origin: Perhaps from Old English dic 'ditch' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to move earth, snow etc, or to make a hole in the ground, using a ↑ spade or your hands
dig a hole/trench/grave etc
They dig a small hole in the sand to bury their eggs.
dig down
Dig down about 6 inches.
dig for
birds digging for worms
2 . [transitive] to remove something, especially vegetables, from the ground using a ↑ spade :
freshly dug carrots
3 . [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put your hand into something, especially in order to search for something:
She dug around in her bag for a pen.
He dug his hands deep into his pockets.
4 . dig your heels in to refuse to do something in spite of other people’s efforts to persuade you
5 . dig deep to use something which you have, especially money or effort, which you would not normally need:
With one man sent off, the team had to dig deep and hang on for a draw.
6 . dig a hole for yourself ( also dig yourself into a hole ) to get yourself into a difficult situation by doing or saying the wrong thing
7 . dig somebody out of trouble/a mess/a hole etc to help a person or organization get out of trouble
8 . dig your own grave to do something that will cause serious problems for you in the future
9 . [transitive] old-fashioned to like something:
I dig that hat!
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THESAURUS
▪ dig to make a hole in the ground using your hands, a tool, or a machine:
Some workmen were digging a trench at the side of the road.
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In Africa, the people know where to dig for water.
▪ make a hole to dig a hole in the ground, using your hands or a tool:
Make a hole just big enough for the plant’s roots.
▪ burrow /ˈbʌrəʊ $ ˈbɜːroʊ/ if an animal burrows, it makes a hole or a passage in the ground by digging the earth with its feet, nose etc:
The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the fence.
▪ plough British English , plow American English /plaʊ/ to turn over the soil using a machine or a tool pulled by animals, to prepare the soil for planting seeds:
The farmers here still plough their fields using buffaloes.
▪ excavate /ˈekskəveɪt/ formal to dig a large hole in the ground, especially as a preparation for building something:
The men began excavating the hole for the pool.
▪ bore to make a deep round hole in the ground using a special machine, especially in order to look for oil or water:
Companies need a special licence to bore for oil.
dig in phrasal verb
1 . dig something ↔ in ( also dig something into something ) to mix something into soil by digging:
Dig some fertilizer into the soil first.
2 . ( also dig (something) into something ) to push a hard or pointed object into something, especially someone’s body, or to press into something:
She dug her fingernails into his arm.
dig something ↔ in
He dug his spurs in and urged his horse on.
I could feel one of the hooks digging in.
3 . if a group of people, especially soldiers, dig in, they make a protected place for themselves or prepare for a difficult situation:
The troops dug in along the defensive line.
We just have to dig in and hope we can turn things around.
4 . ( also dig into something ) informal to start eating food that is in front of you:
Go on – dig in!
He was already digging into his pie and chips.
dig into something phrasal verb
1 . to start using a supply of something, especially money:
I’m going to have to dig into my savings again.
2 . to try to find out about something unknown or secret:
He had been digging into her past.
⇨ ↑ dig in
dig something ↔ out phrasal verb
1 . to get something out of earth, snow etc using a ↑ spade or your hands
dig something ↔ out of
We had to dig the car out of a snow drift.
2 . to find something you have not seen for a long time, or that is not easy to find:
I must remember to dig out that book for you.
dig something ↔ up phrasal verb
1 . to remove something from the earth using a ↑ spade :
I’ll dig up that plant and move it.
2 . to remove the surface of an area of ground, road etc, or to make holes in it:
They’re digging up the road just outside my flat.
3 . to find hidden or forgotten information by careful searching:
They tried to dig up something from his past to spoil his chances of being elected.
II. dig 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a joke or remark that you make to annoy or criticize someone
dig at
He couldn’t resist a dig at the referee.
Here was a chance to have a dig at trade unionists.
2 . give somebody a dig to push someone quickly and lightly with your finger or elbow:
Ginnie gave her sister a dig in the ribs.
3 . an organized process of digging in order to find ancient objects for study:
an archaeological dig
4 . digs [plural] British English old-fashioned a room that you pay rent to live in
in digs
He’s 42 and still living in digs.
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THESAURUS
▪ comment something that you say or write in order to give your opinion:
Does anyone have any comments?
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Readers are invited to send in their comments and suggestions.
▪ remark something that you say:
Just ignore them if they start making rude remarks.
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I’m not sure what he meant by that last remark.
▪ point something that someone mentions about a subject in a discussion, argument, article etc:
That’s an interesting point, Steve.
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He raises (=mentions) a number of important points in his paper.
▪ observation a comment in which you say what you think or have noticed about something:
Karl Marx made the observation that history repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce.
▪ aside a comment made in a low voice, that you intend only certain people to hear:
‘Is that true?’, she whispered in an aside to Don.
▪ quip /kwɪp/ a clever and amusing comment:
She knew she should reply with some light-hearted quip.
▪ dig informal a comment you make to annoy or criticize someone:
I’m tired of her little digs at me.
▪ taunt /tɔːnt $ tɒːnt/ a comment intended to make someone angry or upset:
The fans made racist taunts throughout the game.