dig
To dig something means to remove earth or other material from a hole or pit with your hands or a tool.
When we think of digging, it's easy to imagine someone with a shovel in their hand, but the word can be used in many different ways too. For example, if you're trying to find out more information about something, like why a city was built where it is today, archaeologists might "dig" into history books and documents to uncover clues. In another sense, digging can also mean working hard or putting effort into doing something - for instance, if someone says they had to dig really deep in their pocket to afford that new video game.
How common is "dig"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
An archeological or paleontological investigation, or the site where such an investigation is taking place.
verb
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.
Example: If the plane can't pull out of the dive it is in, it'll dig a hole in the ground.
Real examples of "digging" in context
