dig in

verb

dug in; digging in; digs in

transitive verb

1

: to cover or incorporate by burying

dig in compost

2

: to establish in a dug defensive position

the platoon was well dug in

intransitive verb

1

: to establish a defensive position especially by digging trenches

2

a

: to go resolutely to work

b

: to begin eating

3

: to hold stubbornly to a position

4

: to scuff the ground for better footing while batting (as in baseball)

Phrases

dig in one's heels

: to take or persist in an uncompromising position or attitude despite opposition

Examples of dig in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While some conservatives were digging in against the plan, the prospect of a shutdown was alarming other Republicans, including those from swing districts carried by Biden in 2020, who could feel the political backlash from a government closure. —Carl Hulse, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023

The nation’s largest auto union is digging in its heels in the final hours of its contract negotiations with the Big Three automakers, raising the specter of a historic strike that threatens to upend United States manufacturing and cause billions of dollars in economic losses. —Breanne Deppisch, Washington Examiner, 13 Sep. 2023

Thanks to their high-rise design, these briefs offer a flattering fit, and their waistband also never digs in. —Courtney Leiva, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2023

There is no need to till or dig in your organic matter, and in my experience, no dig systems lead to a much healthier soil ecosystem over time. —Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 7 Sep. 2023

Locked in a defensive battle with a feisty Crofton team, the Dundalk Owls dug in. —Aidan Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 2 Sep. 2023

Price at time of publish: $10 Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream 4.4 View On Amazon View On Target View On Dermstore After digging in the garden all day, a little TLC may be needed. —Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2023

It was found by an employee after an exhaustive search and hours of the couple and staff members digging in the snow. —Jenny Block, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2023

Rather than digging in his heels, Brave should take this opportunity to prepare for trial, Maglaras said. —Steven Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Aug. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

dig in

verb

1

: to dig and take position in a trench

the soldiers dug in

2

a

: to go to work

b

: to begin eating