- Dive
- Dive Dive, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Dived}, colloq. {Dove}, a
relic of the AS. strong forms de['a]f, dofen; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Diving}.] [OE. diven, duven, AS. d?fan to sink, v. t., fr.
d?fan, v. i.; akin to Icel. d?fa, G. taufen, E. dip, deep,
and perh. to dove, n. Cf. {Dip}.]
1. To plunge into water head foremost; to thrust the body
under, or deeply into, water or other fluid.
[1913 Webster]
It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men have dived for them. --Whately. [1913 Webster]
Note: The colloquial form dove is common in the United States as an imperfect tense form. [1913 Webster]
All [the walruses] dove down with a tremendous splash. --Dr. Hayes. [1913 Webster]
When closely pressed it [the loon] dove . . . and left the young bird sitting in the water. --J. Burroughs. [1913 Webster]
2. Fig.: To plunge or to go deeply into any subject, question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore. --South. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
