verb | noun
digdig1 /dɪg/ ●●● S2 verb (past tense and past participle dug /dʌg/, present participle digging) 1
MAKE A HOLE [intransitive, transitive] to break and move earth, stone, snow, etc. with a tool, your hands, or a machine, making a hole in it: Jessica dug in the sand with a small shovel.dig down We dug down about six feet.dig for They’re digging for dinosaur bones.dig a hole/grave/trench etc. The dog had dug a big hole behind the roses.2SEARCH FOR something WITH HAND [intransitive] to put your hand into something in order to search for something: dig for She started digging for her keys.dig through I dug through my drawers until I found the note.dig in/into Julie dug into her purse for some spare change.dig around He dug around in the junk drawer for it.3FIND INFORMATION [intransitive] find more information about someone or something: dig into I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to dig deeper into my family’s past.dig for Journalists are already digging for details.dig around Reporters had started digging around, trying to find out the truth.4REMOVE something FROM THE GROUND [transitive] to remove something, especially vegetables, from the ground: He placed the freshly dug carrots in a basket.5dig a hole for yourself (also dig yourself into a hole) to get yourself into a difficult situation by doing or saying the wrong thing: The team dug themselves a hole they couldn’t climb out of.6dig deep to use a lot of effort, money, etc. to do something: I had to dig deep just to get myself out of bed.7dig your own grave to do something that will make you have serious problems laterSPOKEN PHRASES8UNDERSTAND something [intransitive, transitive] old-fashioned slang to understand something: “She says she doesn’t like it.” “Yeah, I can dig that.”9LIKE somebody/something [transitive] old-fashioned slang to like someone or something: I really dig that dress.10Dig that ...! [transitive] old-fashioned slang used to tell someone to notice or look at someone or something: Dig that funky hat she has on!dig in phrasal verb1 spoken informal to start eating food that is in front of you: Come on everyone – dig in!2dig in your heels (also dig your heels in) to refuse to do or accept something in spite of other people’s efforts to persuade you: a toddler digging in his heels3dig yourself in if soldiers dig in or dig themselves in, they make a protected place for themselves by diggingdig into phrasal verb1dig (something) into something to push a hard or pointed object into something, especially someone’s body, or to press into something: She dug her nails into my arm. A piece of wood was digging into my side.2dig into something to start using a supply of something, especially money: I’m going to have to dig into my savings again.dig something ↔ out phrasal verb1to get someone or something out of earth, snow, etc. using a tool, your hands, or a machine: Rescue workers dug survivors out from under the rubble.2to find something you have not seen for a long time, or that is not easy to find: Mom dug her wedding dress out of the closet.dig something ↔ up phrasal verb1to remove something from under the ground with a tool, your hands, or a machine: Beth is out back digging up weeds.2informal to find hidden or forgotten information by careful searching: See what you can dig up on the guy. verb | noun
digdig2 noun 1[countable] an unkind thing you say to annoy someone: Sally keeps making digs about my work.dig at a dig at his opponent2give somebody a dig to push someone quickly and lightly with your finger or an elbow: He gave me a dig in the ribs.3[countable] the process of digging in a place to find ancient objects to study: an archeological dig4[countable] an act of hitting the ball back up into the air when it is near the ground or floor in volleyball5digs [plural] a room or apartment that you pay rent to live in