dig

verb

\ ˈdig

dug\ ˈdəg

\; digging

Definition of dig

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to break up, turn, or loosen (earth) with an implement digging dirt with a shovel machines digging up the road

b : to prepare the soil of dig a garden

2a : to bring to the surface by digging : unearth dig potatoes

b : to bring to light or out of hiding dig up facts

3 : to hollow out or form by removing earth : excavate dig a hole dig a tunnel

4 : to drive down so as to penetrate : thrust dug her toes into the sand The hawk dug its claws into its prey.

5 : poke, prod dug me in the ribs with his elbow

6 slang

a : to pay attention to : notice dig that fancy hat

b : understand, appreciate couldn't dig the medical jargon

c : like, admire High school students dig short poetry.— David Burmester

intransitive verb

1 : to turn up, loosen, or remove earth digging in the garden dig for buried treasure

2 : to work hard or laboriously

3 : to advance by or as if by removing or pushing aside material digging into the history of the company

dig

noun

Definition of dig (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : thrust, poke a dig in the ribs

b : a cutting remark a subtle dig at their lack of preparedness

2 digs plural

a : accommodations (see accommodation sense 1a) for living or working buying furniture for his new digs

b chiefly British : lodging sense 2b

3 : an archaeological excavation site also : the excavation itself participated in a dig

dig

abbreviation

Definition of dig (Entry 3 of 3)

digest

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about dig

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Synonyms for dig

Synonyms: Verb

excavate, shovel

Synonyms: Noun

dab, jab, lunge, poke

Examples of dig in a Sentence

Verb

Some animal has been digging in the garden. They dug into the sand with their hands. He dug down about 10 feet before he hit water. Dig a hole three feet deep. The first step in building a house is to dig the foundation. The prisoners escaped by digging a tunnel under the fence. digging clams on the beach These detectives won't stop digging until they find out what happened.

Noun

She gave me a dig in the ribs to get my attention. She participated in a dig last summer.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

CyberScoop, a cybersecurity news outlet, dug into the booming market. — Robert Hackett, Fortune, "After Capital One, Equifax, Marriott, and the Rest, Just Assume Your Data Has Been Hacked—Cyber Saturday," 3 Aug. 2019 While McDonald and his army of laborers dug under Howard Street, another contractor, Lawrence McCabe, built the Belt Line from Bayview to Huntingdon Avenue. — Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, "Shrouded in darkness, Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel is a workhorse rail artery," 27 July 2019 In a green burial, the body typically is wrapped in a shroud or laid in a wicker basket and placed in a grave dug by hand. — Jasmine Johnson, Twin Cities, "‘Everything is biodegradable, including you.’ A Catholic cemetery in Mendota Heights offers green burial.," 20 July 2019 The family plot houses uncles, aunts, grandparents, and great-grandparents, but no graves nearly as old as those dug soon after the nearby chapel was built in the 1790s. — Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, "Race, History, and Memories of a Virginia Girlhood," 18 July 2019 This is a chance to dig into the weeds on player value and roster construction. — Brandon Niles, SI.com, "How to Convert Fantasy Football Draft Strategies into Auction Strategies," 11 July 2019 Haley said her team hasn't had the chance to dig into all of the data from donors yet, but so far, people in 37 states have given money. — Domenica Bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "The crowdfunding for Mass Ave. sculpture Ann Dancing is over. Here's what happens next.," 30 June 2019 Fact: Health care costs are rising far faster than the cost of living, digging into American families' pocketbooks and causing half of families to cut back on medical care. — CBS News, "As Dems debate, facts about economy, taxes, health care, wages and more," 26 June 2019 Prices like these induced many more people to try their luck digging for fossils. — Lukas Rieppel, WSJ, "The Problem With Buying Dinosaurs," 21 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The situation vexes Cengage chief executive Michael Hansen, whose company just moved into fancy new digs on the South Boston waterfront two months ago. — Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston textbook publisher’s merger faces antitrust criticism," 16 Aug. 2019 Li’s saga tracks the yearnings and personal tragedies of many who work at the Beijing Duck House in Rockville, Md., such as owner Jimmy Han, eager to cast off the family burden of his late father’s restaurant for fancier digs. — Margaret Wappler, latimes.com, "5 L.A. book events — from Beyoncé’s architect to hot gossip from old Hollywood," 28 June 2019 The Brewing Projekt opened in 2015 and moved into bigger digs on the Chippewa River this year. — Chelsey Lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Beer and a bike ride: 12 breweries along bike trails in Wisconsin," 6 June 2019 According to the newspaper's source, Kanye went to check out the multimillion dollar digs on his own during a trip to Miami in December and just knew Kim had to have it. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Kanye West Bought Kim Kardashian a $14 Million Christmas Gift," 29 Dec. 2018 The rustic-luxe villas at Song Saa Private Island Resort (a longtime favorite) are now being joined by more modernist digs on neighboring islands, including Alila Villas Koh Russey and Six Senses Krabey Island. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "The Best Places to Travel in 2019," 7 Dec. 2018 As for Amoeba’s current digs, Weinstein and Prinz sold the building to investors in 2015 for $34 million. — Brittany Martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "Amoeba Music Is Ready to Relocate–and Apply for a Marijuana Permit," 15 June 2018 Thompson’s team recently confirmed the location of a few of those Spanish structures on the second-highest peak on Mound Key, offering a tantalizing target for future digs. — National Geographic, "Ancient Native American King's House Rediscovered in Florida," 13 June 2018 Volunteers sought for archaeology dig in La Fox Garfield Farm Museum in La Fox is seeking volunteers for an archaeology dig. — Joy Davis, Aurora Beacon-News, "Diana Krall to perform at Paramount in Aurora," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dig.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.