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Glite Dictionary
⛏️ To make a hole 🧠 To understand 💪 To work hard 👈 To poke hard 🏺 An excavation 😏 A sarcastic remark ☝️ A quick poke
to dig

to dig

652 1.0
To move earth with a tool to make a hole
  • verb
  • /dɪg/
: cavar
  • As the Long Dark grew out of the north, they dug into the drifts for shelter.
  • dig a hole
  • dig up the ground
  • dig a ditch

You wield it and it digs the path that you follow.

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Examples

  • He used a shovel to dig up the soil and prepare for planting vegetables.

  • Stowell is the one who hired Joseph to dig treasure for him down in Harmony.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • We can dig our way out of this mess together.

    Hit Man (2024)

  • So we're going to just dig this very carefully.

  • However, this tell us decided to dig a hole under the couch.

  • Somehow, in the middle of all this, he chose to dig and found a late Roman bath.

    Academic text (2011)

  • A male bear, left, digs into a treat provided in the Magic Circle.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The field archaeologists working for developers are paid to dig and record, but not to publish.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Still wearing her robe, Belle dug in the ground and buried her hen.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The bulldozer plunges nose first into an unseen pit dug just beneath the surface!

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to dig up
vsto dig
147 2.0

To take something out of the ground by digging

is broader covering any breaking or moving of earth beyond item recovery
to shovel
vsto dig
75 1.0

To move or dig material with a wide blade and handle

is the wider action of breaking or moving earth without a specific tool
to dig out
vsto dig
36 3.2

Remove something that is under the ground or snow using a shovel

is the general action of breaking or moving earth not only about clearing coverings
to excavate
vsto dig
29 5.8

To dig in the ground to find or remove old objects, often by archaeologists

is a general earth action used for many tasks not only careful uncovering
to cut into
vsto dig
28 4.5

To loosen and move soil with a tool like a spade

is the broad act of breaking or moving earth without cutting focus
to tunnel
vsto dig
27 3.5

To dig a passage under something

is broader meaning any breaking or moving of earth not only passage making
to unearth
vsto dig
26 4.2

To dig up something buried in the ground

is mainly about moving earth to make holes not specifically about discovery
to hoe
vsto dig
7 2.1

To break and loosen soil in a garden with a long-handled flat blade

is general earth work not tied to a particular agricultural tool
to turn over
vsto dig
3 3.4

Dig and loosen soil to prepare it for planting

is used for many earth tasks not limited to soil preparation
to dig a trench
vsto dig
3 3.5

To make a long narrow hole in the ground for pipes or to carry water away

is general earth work not confined to narrow excavations for trenches
to trench
vsto dig
1 4.6

To dig a long narrow ditch in the ground for drainage or pipes

is general earth moving for any purpose not limited to long narrow ditches
to delve
vsto dig
1 6.3

To dig and loosen soil, for example with a spade

is a general action of breaking or moving earth not only for deep work
to spade
vsto dig
1 2.5

To dig or move earth using a long tool with a flat blade

is not limited to using a single hand tool or blade
to grub up
vsto dig
  • UK
1 7.7

To dig up and remove plants or roots from the ground

is general earth moving not focused specifically on plant removal

Idioms

to dig a hole for oneself
  • Informal
7.9

To cause problems for yourself because of your actions

to dig in one's heels
  • Informal
6.7

Refuse to change an opinion or plan when pressed

to dig one's own grave
  • Informal
7.1

To do something that makes you fail

Phrasal Verbs

to dig up
147 2.0

To take something out of the ground by digging

to dig into
  • Informal
83 3.7

To look at something carefully, often by searching under the surface

to dig out
80 3.4

Find and take out something that is hidden or forgotten

to dig deep
68 4.4

Search carefully to find hidden facts or details

to dig in
44 6.9

To prepare a position in a trench to protect soldiers from attack

to dig out
36 3.2

Remove something that is under the ground or snow using a shovel

to dig in
  • Informal
34 1.9

To start eating eagerly, often at a shared meal

to dig up dirt
  • Informal
16 6.5

Look for and tell secret or bad things about someone to harm them

to dig a trench
3 3.5

To make a long narrow hole in the ground for pipes or to carry water away

to dig out of a hole
1 6.9

To get out of a difficult situation after mistakes or bad luck

Compounds

infra dig
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A thing people see as below a person's status and not socially acceptable

How Deep

to tunnel
27 3.5
to excavate
12 6.0
to dig
652 1.0
to shovel
75 1.0
to scratch
100 1.1

Surface Forms

dig infinitive
digging present participle
digs third person singular
dug past
dug past participle

Etymology

The word dig as a verb originally meant to make a ditch or hole in the ground, so to dig is to break up and remove earth with a tool or machine. That is why we still use dig for making holes and excavations.