Digging: meaning, definitions and examples

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digging

[ ˈdɪɡɪŋ ]

^{Context #1}

archaeology

The act or process of excavating, turning up, or removing earth, especially with a shovel.

Synonyms

excavation, shoveling, unearthing

Examples of usage

The digging at the archaeological site revealed ancient artifacts.
The team spent months digging in search of buried treasure.

^{Context #2}

gardening

The act of breaking up and turning over soil in preparation for planting.

Synonyms

cultivating, tilling, turning

Examples of usage

The digging in the garden was hard work but necessary for the new plants.
She enjoyed the physical activity of digging in the soil.

^{Context #3}

informal

To search or rummage in a particular place.

Synonyms

hunt, rummage, search

Examples of usage

She was digging through her drawers looking for the missing key.
He was digging in his backpack for his phone.

Translations

Translations of the word "digging" in other languages:

🇵🇹 escavação

🇮🇳 खुदाई

🇩🇪 Graben

🇮🇩 penggalian

🇺🇦 копання

🇵🇱 kopanie

🇯🇵 掘削 (くっさく)

🇫🇷 excavation

🇪🇸 excavación

🇹🇷 kazı

🇰🇷 파기

🇸🇦 حفر

🇨🇿 kopání

🇸🇰 kopanie

🇨🇳 挖掘 (wājué)

🇸🇮 kopanje

🇮🇸 gröft

🇰🇿 қазу

🇬🇪 თხრა

🇦🇿 qazma

🇲🇽 excavación

Word origin

The word 'digging' originated from the Old English word 'dyggan' which meant 'to delve'. Over time, the meaning evolved to include various contexts such as archaeology, gardening, and informal searching. The act of digging has been a fundamental human activity for centuries, used for purposes ranging from agriculture to construction to exploration.