delve

== English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /dɛlv/ Rhymes: -ɛlv === Etymology 1 === From Middle English delven, from Old English delfan (“to dig, dig out, burrow, bury”), from Proto-Germanic *delbaną (“to dig”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰelbʰ- (“to dig”). Cognate with West Frisian dolle (“to dig, delve”), Dutch delven (“to dig, delve”), Low German dölven (“to dig, delve”), dialectal German delben, telben (“to dig, delve”). ==== Verb ==== delve (third-person singular simple present delves, present participle delving, simple past delved or (obsolete) dolve, past participle delved or (obsolete) dolve or (archaic) dolven) (literary) (intransitive) To dig into the ground, especially with a shovel. (ambitransitive) To dig; to excavate. (ambitransitive, figurative) To search thoroughly and carefully for information, research, dig into, penetrate, fathom, trace out Synonyms: investigate, research ===== Derived terms ===== delver indelve undelve undelved ===== Related terms ===== dolven ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English delve, delf, dælf, from Old English delf, ġedelf (“digging”) and dælf (“that which is dug out, delf, ditch”). More at delf. ==== Noun ==== delve (plural delves) (now rare) A pit or den. ===== Related terms ===== stonedelf === Anagrams === devel == Dutch == === Verb === delve (dated or formal) singular present subjunctive of delven === Anagrams === velde == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === From Old English delfan. ==== Verb ==== delve alternative form of delven === Etymology 2 === From Old English delf. ==== Noun ==== delve alternative form of delf