To dig down

To dig down
Dig Dig (d[i^]g), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dug} (d[u^]g) or {Digged} (d[i^]gd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Digging}. -- Digged is archaic.] [OE. diggen, perh. the same word as diken, dichen (see {Dike}, {Ditch}); cf. Dan. dige to dig, dige a ditch; or (?) akin to E. 1st dag. [root]67.] 1. To turn up, or delve in, (earth) with a spade or a hoe; to open, loosen, or break up (the soil) with a spade, or other sharp instrument; to pierce, open, or loosen, as if with a spade. [1913 Webster]

Be first to dig the ground. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. To get by digging; as, to dig potatoes, or gold. [1913 Webster]

3. To hollow out, as a well; to form, as a ditch, by removing earth; to excavate; as, to dig a ditch or a well. [1913 Webster]

4. To thrust; to poke. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

You should have seen children . . . dig and push their mothers under the sides, saying thus to them: Look, mother, how great a lubber doth yet wear pearls. --Robynson (More's Utopia). [1913 Webster]

5. To like; enjoy; admire. The whole class digs Pearl Jam. [Colloq.] [PJC]

{To dig down}, to undermine and cause to fall by digging; as, to dig down a wall.

{To dig from}, {To dig out of}, {To dig out}, {To dig up}, to get out or obtain by digging; as, to dig coal from or out of a mine; to dig out fossils; to dig up a tree. The preposition is often omitted; as, the men are digging coal, digging iron ore, digging potatoes.

{To dig in}, (a) to cover by digging; as, to dig in manure. (b) To entrench oneself so as to give stronger resistance; -- used of warfare or negotiating situations.

{to dig in one's heels} To offer stubborn resistance. [1913 Webster +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • dig down — {v.}, {slang} To spend your own money. * /The school let the club use the bus and driver free for their trip, but they had to dig down to pay for gas and meals./ * / So you broke Mrs. Brown s window? Tom s father said, You ll have to dig down and …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • dig down — {v.}, {slang} To spend your own money. * /The school let the club use the bus and driver free for their trip, but they had to dig down to pay for gas and meals./ * / So you broke Mrs. Brown s window? Tom s father said, You ll have to dig down and …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • dig down into — index delve Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • dig\ down — v slang To spend your own money. The school let the club use the bus and driver free for their trip, but they had to dig down to pay for gas and meals. So you broke Mrs. Brown s window? Tom s father said, You ll have to dig down and pay for it …   Словарь американских идиом

  • dig down — intransitive verb : to pay money out of one s own pocket the customers will not dig down for such entertainment …   Useful english dictionary

  • dig — [n] insult crack, cut, cutting remark, gibe, innuendo, jeer, quip, slur, sneer, taunt, wisecrack; concept 54 Ant. compliment, flattery, praise dig [v1] delve into; hollow out bore, break up, bulldoze, burrow, cat, channel, clean, concave, deepen …   New thesaurus

  • Dig — (d[i^]g), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dug} (d[u^]g) or {Digged} (d[i^]gd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Digging}. Digged is archaic.] [OE. diggen, perh. the same word as diken, dichen (see {Dike}, {Ditch}); cf. Dan. dige to dig, dige a ditch; or (?) akin to E. 1st… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dig — dig1 S3 [dıg] v past tense and past participle dug [dʌg] present participle digging [Date: 1100 1200; Origin: Perhaps from Old English dic ditch ] 1.) [I and T] to move earth, snow etc, or to make a hole in the ground, using a ↑spade or your… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • dig — I. /dɪg / (say dig) verb (dug or, Archaic, digged, digging) –verb (i) 1. to break up, turn over, or remove earth, etc., as with a spade; make an excavation. 2. to make one s way by, or as by, digging. –verb (t) 3. to penetrate and loosen (the… …  

  • dig — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) v. shovel, spade, excavate, grub, delve; labor, speed; unearth; slang, enjoy (see pleasure). See concavity, exertion. II (Roget s IV) n. 1. [Insult] Syn. gibe, taunt, innuendo, cut; see insult , ridicule …   English dictionary for students

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