dig
English
/dɪɡ/, /dɪɡ/, /dɪd͡ʒ/
verb
Definitions
- (transitive) To move hard-packed earth out of the way, especially downward to make a hole with a shovel. Or to drill, or the like, through rocks, roads, or the like. More generally, to make any similar hole by moving material out of the way.
- (transitive) To get by digging; to take from the ground; often with up.
- (mining) To take ore from its bed, in distinction from making excavations in search of ore.
- (US) To work like a digger; to study ploddingly and laboriously.
- (figurative) To investigate, to research, often followed by out or up.
- To thrust; to poke.
- (volleyball) To defend against an attack hit by the opposing team by successfully passing the ball
Etymology
Derived from Middle English diggen (dig) derived from Old English dīcian (mound up earth, dig a ditch) derived from Proto-Germanic *dīkaz (puddle, pool) derived from Proto-Indo-European *dʰīgʷ-.
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*dʰīgʷ-
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- bonedigger English
- clamdigger English
- cratedigger English
- diggable English
- digger English
- diggeress English
- diggest English
- diggeth English
- diggety English
- ditchdigger English
- gravedigger English
- gumdigger English
- redig English
- underdig English
- undig English
- undiggable English
- welldigger English
- diggari Finnish
- Digger German
- dijk Dutch, Flemish
- *dheigʷ Proto-Indo-European
- *dʰeygʷ- Proto-Indo-European
- *dʰīgʷ- Proto-Indo-European
- *dīkaz Proto-Germanic
- dic Old English
- dīcian Old English
- dīċ Old English
- diggen Middle English
- díki Old Norse
- dige Danish
- dijc Middle Dutch
- *tīh Old High German
- *dīk Old Dutch
- dīk Middle Low German
- dīk Old Frisian