dig 1 S2 / dɪɡ / 动词 ( past tense and past participle dug / dʌɡ / , present participle digging )

1 [不及物和及物动词] to move earth, snow etc, or to make a hole in the ground, using a spade or your hands

dig a hole/trench/grave etc

They dig a small hole in the sand to bury their eggs.

dig down

Dig down about 6 inches.

dig for

birds digging for worms

2 [及物动词] to remove something, especially vegetables, from the ground using a spade :

freshly dug carrots

3 [ intransitive, transitive always + 副词 / 介词 ] to put your hand into something, especially in order to search for something :

She dug around in her bag for a pen.

He dug his hands deep into his pockets.

4 dig your heels in to refuse to do something in spite of other people’s efforts to persuade you

5 dig deep to use something which you have, especially money or effort, which you would not normally need :

With one man sent off, the team had to dig deep and hang on for a draw.

6 dig a hole for yourself ( also dig yourself into a hole ) to get yourself into a difficult situation by doing or saying the wrong thing

7 dig somebody out of trouble/a mess/a hole etc to help a person or organization get out of trouble

8 dig your own grave to do something that will cause serious problems for you in the future

9 [及物动词] old-fashioned to like something :

I dig that hat!

THESAURUS

dig to make a hole in the ground using your hands, a tool, or a machine : Some workmen were digging a trench at the side of the road. | In Africa, the people know where to dig for water.

make a hole to dig a hole in the ground, using your hands or a tool : Make a hole just big enough for the plant’s roots.

burrow / bʌrəʊ $ bɜroʊ / if an animal burrows, it makes a hole or a passage in the ground by digging the earth with its feet, nose etc : The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the fence.

plough British English , plow American English / plaʊ / to turn over the soil using a machine or a tool pulled by animals, to prepare the soil for planting seeds : The farmers here still plough their fields using buffaloes.

excavate / ekskəveɪt / formal to dig a large hole in the ground, especially as a preparation for building something : The men began excavating the hole for the pool.

bore to make a deep round hole in the ground using a special machine, especially in order to look for oil or water : Companies need a special licence to bore for oil.

dig in 短语动词

1 dig something ↔ in ( also dig something into something ) to mix something into soil by digging :

Dig some fertilizer into the soil first.

2 ( also dig (something) into something ) to push a hard or pointed object into something, especially someone’s body, or to press into something :

She dug her fingernails into his arm.

dig something ↔ in

He dug his spurs in and urged his horse on.

I could feel one of the hooks digging in.

3 if a group of people, especially soldiers, dig in, they make a protected place for themselves or prepare for a difficult situation :

The troops dug in along the defensive line.

We just have to dig in and hope we can turn things around.

4 ( also dig into something ) informal to start eating food that is in front of you :

Go on – dig in!

He was already digging into his pie and chips.

dig into something 短语动词

1 to start using a supply of something, especially money :

I’m going to have to dig into my savings again.

2 to try to find out about something unknown or secret :

He had been digging into her past. → dig in

dig something ↔ out 短语动词

1 to get something out of earth, snow etc using a spade or your hands

dig something ↔ out of

We had to dig the car out of a snow drift.

2 to find something you have not seen for a long time, or that is not easy to find :

I must remember to dig out that book for you.

dig something ↔ up 短语动词

1 to remove something from the earth using a spade :

I’ll dig up that plant and move it.

2 to remove the surface of an area of ground, road etc, or to make holes in it :

They’re digging up the road just outside my flat.

3 to find hidden or forgotten information by careful searching :

They tried to dig up something from his past to spoil his chances of being elected.