dig up
1. Literally, to overturn soil or a similar substance by digging. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dig" and "up." That darn groundhog has dug up my herb garden for the second year in a row. Watch out for holes if you go outside—Rover tends to dig up our back yard. Here, use this trowel to dig up the soil, then we can start placing the plants.
2. To unearth or uproot something by digging. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dig" and "up." The dog keeps burying bones and digging them up. You don't expect me to dig up every weed in the yard, do you? That would take forever! Some animal seems to delight in digging up my tulip bulbs in the middle of the night!
3. To search for and find something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dig" and "up." If you give me some time, I'm sure I can dig up the deed to the house. I had to go to five different hardware stores to dig up that part for the heater! Has anyone been able to dig up Grandma's Christmas tree topper? It's not in with the decorations I took from her house.
4. To uncover negative information about someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dig" and "up." Once I contact my usual sources at the tabloids, I should be able to dig up some dirt on that actress. My efforts to dig up scandalous gossip about my enemy have been unsuccessful so far. Good luck digging up salacious material—you won't find anything to tarnish my campaign!
5. slang Listen! Hey, the boss is talking—dig up! Dig up, everyone, I've got some announcements to make. Dig up, will ya? Or else you won't know your assignment for the day.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
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!
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
dig up
1. Search out, find, obtain, as in I'm sure I can dig up a few more supporters. [Mid-1800s]
2. dig up some dirt or the dirt . Find derogatory information about someone or something. For example, The editor assigned him to dig up all the dirt on the candidates. The slangy use of the noun dirt for "embarrassing or scandalous information" dates from about 1840, but this metaphoric expression is a century newer.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
dig up
v.1. To unearth or expose and gain access to something by digging: The scientists dug up a dinosaur fossil. The landscapers dug the tree up and replanted it.
2. To scatter earth, snow, or another substance on some surface by digging into it: The woodchucks dug up my lawn last night.
3. To discover or find something through concerted effort: I dug up some old photos that were in the back of my closet. The detective intended to dig the truth up.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Dig up!
exclam. Listen up!; Pay attention! Dig up, man! This is important.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.