delve

1 of 2

verb

delved; delving

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

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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.”

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
Through a blend of comedy and melodrama, the series delves into themes of identity and stereotypes, providing a social commentary on machismo and gender norms prevalent in the 1980s. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Their family life was occasionally contentious The Interstellar star delved deep into some of the more difficult aspects of his childhood in his memoir, revealing that his parents — who divorced each other twice — had an extremely tumultuous relationship. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 Much of the prosecution’s evidence delved into a number of internet searches Alvarez made after the engagement was announced. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 Over the past few weeks, as my Vogue colleagues and I delved into global braiding cultures and styles, the topic of wedding braids has come up a few times. Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 Smyth’s approximately 200-page report delves into the technical and administrative evolution of the most dangerous weapon ever created. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 Today, Marley has contributed her unique voice to the soundtrack of a film on her grandfather’s life, Bob Marley: One Love, a movie that delves into Bob Marley’s journey to overcome adversity and inspire nations through revolutionary music. Dr. Brittany Chambers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Her presentation at the National Speakers Forum in March will delve into the challenge of media inaccuracy and misinformation. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2024 The series delves significantly deeper into their love story than the game, which only hints at the relationship. Shania Russell, EW.com, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'delve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of delve was before the 12th century

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Dictionary Entries Near delve

Cite this Entry

“Delve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delve. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on delve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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