dig (redirected from digging)

dig someone or something in something

to poke someone or something in something, such as the ribs, the side, the cheek, etc. He dug Wally in the ribs as he finished telling the joke. Jed dug the cow in its side with a stick, trying to make it move into the barn.

dig someone or something out of something and dig someone or something out

to excavate in order to get someone or something out of something; to dig about in order to get someone or something out of something. She dug out the roots of the tree. The dog dug itself out of the rubble of the fallen building.

See also: out

dig someone or something up

Fig. to go to great effort to find someone or something. (There is an implication that the thing or person dug up is not the most desirable, but is all that could be found.) Mary dug a date up for the dance next Friday. I dug up a recipe for roast pork with pineapple. I dug up a carpenter who doesn't charge very much.

See also: up

dig something into something and dig something in

to stab or jab something into something. Dig your fork into that heavenly cake! He dug in his fork.

dig something out

Fig. to work hard to locate something and bring it forth. They dug the contract out of the file cabinet. I dug out an old dress and wore it to the Fifties party.

See also: out

dig at someone or something 

1. Lit. to poke or jab at someone or something. Don't dig at me all the time. My side is getting sore where you jabbed me. Stop digging at the wall! Look at the hole you've made!

2. Fig. to make a cutting remark about someone or something. She is always digging at her husband's laziness. Fred was digging at the company he works for.

dig down and dig deep 

1. . Lit. to excavate deeply. They are really having to dig deep to reach bedrock. We are not to the buried cable yet. We will have to dig down some more.

2. Fig. to be generous; to dig deep into one's pockets and come up with as much money as possible to donate to something. (As if digging into one's pocket.) Please dig down. We need every penny you can spare. Dig down deep. Give all you can.

dig for something 

1. Lit. to excavate to find something that is buried. They are digging along the river bank for a special kind of clay. I want to dig for gold in Alaska.

2. Fig. to go to great pains to uncover information of some kind. The police were digging for some important information while they questioned Mike "Fingers" Moran. There is no point in digging further for the name of the inventor. I have it right here.

dig in (to something )

1. Lit. to use a shovel to penetrate a mass of something. He dug into the soft soil and made a hole for the roots of the bush. He grabbed a shovel and dug in where he thought the tree ought to go.

2. Fig. to begin to process something; to go to work on something. I have to dig into all these applications today and process at least half of them. fed got out the stack of unanswered mail and dug in.

3. Fig. to begin to eat food. We dug into the huge pile of fried chicken. I stuck the corner of my napkin in my collar and dug in.

dig one's heels in

Fig. to refuse to alter one's course of action or opinions; to be obstinate or determined. The student dug her heels in and refused to obey the instructions. I'm digging in my heels. I'm not going back.

See also: heel

dig one's own grave

Fig. to be responsible for one's own downfall or ruin. If you try to cheat the bank, you will be digging your own grave. Those politicians have dug their own grave with their new tax bill. They won't be reelected.

See also: grave

dig out (of something)

to channel or excavate one's way out of something. The miner had to dig out of the cave-in. They were too exhausted to dig out.

See also: out

dig some dirt up (on someone)

Fig. to find out something bad about someone. If you don't stop trying to dig some dirt up on me, I'll get a lawyer and sue you. The citizens' group dug up some dirt on the mayor and used it against her at election time.

See also: dirt, some, up

dig up one's tomahawk

Rur. to get angry. (A jocular reversal of bury the tomahawk. Fixed order.) When Joe saw the mess we made, he dug up his tomahawk and went looking for us.

See also: up

Dig up!

Sl. Listen carefully! John: All right, you guys! Dig up! You're going to hear this one time and one time only! Bill: Dig up! I'm only going to say this once. Bob: What was that? Bill: I said listen!

give someone a dig

Sl. to insult someone; to say something which will irritate a person. Jane gave Bob a dig about his carelessness with money. The headmaster's daughter gets tired of people giving her digs about favoritism.

See also: give

take a dig at someone and take a jab at someone; take digs at someone

Fig. to insult or pester someone. Why did you take a jab at Sam? You're always taking digs at people who think they're your friends. Jane is always taking digs at Bob, but she never really means any harm.

See also: take

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dig your heels in

to refuse to do what other people are trying to persuade you to do, especially to refuse to change your opinions or plans We suggested it would be quicker to fly, but she dug her heels in and insisted on taking the train.

See also: heel

dig your own grave

to do something stupid that will cause problems for you in the future He's dug his own grave really. If he'd been a bit more cooperative in the first place they might still employ him.

See dig into pocket, dig into a hole

See also: grave

dig deep

to use a lot of your own money to pay for something Church members dug deep into their pockets to pay for a new roof. The city will have to dig deep if it wants to host the next Olympics.

See also: deep

dig the dirt  also dig up dirt

to try to find out bad things about someone in order to stop other people admiring them (often + on ) No effort is being spared to dig up dirt on the enemy.

See also: dirt

dig/dip into your pocket

to use your own money to pay for something Parents of young children have to dig deep into their pockets at Christmas-time.

See pick pocket

See also: pocket

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dig your own grave

to do something stupid that will hurt you later Martinez dug his own grave when he admitted signing a false name on bank documents.

See also: grave

dig in

to start eating, esp. with enthusiasm Jack tossed some salt and pepper on the omelet and dug in.

dig in your heels also dig your heels in

to refuse to change what you believe is right or what you want to happen Be firm on important issues, but do not dig in your heels at every opportunity.

See also: heel

dig out something

to search for something I dug out a faded picture of my parents playing on the old tennis court.

See also: out

dig up (some) dirt (on somebody)

to look for and find unpleasant or embarrassing information about someone They tried to dig up some dirt on their political enemies.

Etymology: based on the slang meaning of dirt (negative information about a person)

See also: dirt, up

dig up something

to find something, esp. from storage We dug up the old dairy records that showed how much milk each cow produced every day.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of dig something up (to remove something from the ground, esp. with a tool)

See also: up