delve

1 of 2

verb

ˈdelv 

delved; delving

transitive verb

archaic : excavate

intransitive verb

1

: to dig or labor with or as if with a spade

delved into her handbag in search of a pen

2

a

: to make a careful or detailed search for information

delved into the past

b

: to examine a subject in detail

the book delves into the latest research

won't delve into her reason for leaving

delver noun

delve

2 of 2

noun

archaic

: cave, hollow

Did you know?

Digging Up the History of Delve

We must dig deep into the English language’s past to find the origins of delve. The verb traces to the early Old English word delfan meaning “to dig.” For centuries, there was only delving—no digging—because dig didn’t exist until much later; it appears in early Middle English. Given dig and delve’s overlapping meanings today, is the phrase “dig and delve” (as in the line “eleven, twelve, dig and delve,” from the nursery rhyme that begins “one, two, buckle my shoe”) redundant? Not necessarily. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, in some local uses, dig was the term for working with a mattock (a tool similar to an adze or a pick), while delve was reserved for work done using a spade. Although delve has a history of use for literal digging, nowadays the term is often applied to carefully researching or examining something, as in “delving into the past.”

Synonyms

Verb

• dig (into)
• examine
• explore
• inquire (into)
• investigate
• look (into)
• probe
• research

Noun

• antre
• cave
• cavern
• grot
• grotto

Examples of delve in a Sentence

Verb

He tried to delve inside his memory for clues about what had happened.

Noun

a poem in which a medieval knight encounters a mysterious beauty in a darkened delve

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Relive lost moments of sports history, delve into the world of the extrasensory, explore the eccentricity of ‘Devo,’ be inspired by the story of Christopher Reeve. —Addie Morfoot, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024

The special, titled Quiet on Set: Breaking the Silence, will be moderated by Soledad O’Brien and will delve deeper into the various claims of Nickelodeon creating a toxic workplace for the child stars and crew. —Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024

To delve into classic rock would be obvious, and in some ways restrictive to an artist as clever and imaginative as Beyoncé — though the motorcycles and leather-forward aesthetic approach would make for some fiery visuals. —Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2024

Even heritage British shoemakers, renowned for robust brogues and monk straps, delved into sleek leather and suede iterations. —Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024

In his subsequent speech from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica — where, on a blustery day, his white mantilla lifted up behind him at times — Francis delved into the two conflicts about which his comments have stirred the most controversy: Ukraine and Gaza. —Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024

Lewis says, for him, writing songs has always been about delving deeper into things that matter, and not simply crafting catchy phrases just to sell songs. —Pam Windsor, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Reporter Janelle Griffith delved deep into this unusual court case — the suit is for emotional distress, not defamation — that will go to trial in New York next month. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024

Neuralink didn’t delve into technical details about how the implant is functioning inside Arbaugh, or supply a scientific paper on the results. —Michael Kan, PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English delfan; akin to Old High German telban to dig

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

delve

verb

ˈdelv

delved; delving

1

: to dig or labor with a spade

2

: to make a careful or thorough search for information

delver noun