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.
They dug an eight-foot ditch along the side of the road.
verb To get by digging; to take from the ground; often with up.
to dig potatoes
verb To take ore from its bed, in distinction from making excavations in search of ore.
verb To work like a digger; to study ploddingly and laboriously.
verb To investigate, to research, often followed by out or up.
to dig up evidence
verb To thrust; to poke.
He dug an elbow into my ribs and guffawed at his own joke.
verb To defend against an attack hit by the opposing team by successfully passing the ball