Category:Delve

Delve v. t. [imp. & p. p. Delved; p. pr. & vb. n. Delving.] Etym: [AS. delfan to dig; akin to OS. bidelban to bury, D. delven to dig, MHG. telben, and possibly to E. dale. Cf. Delf a mine.]

1. To dig; to open (the ground) as with a spade. Delve of convenient depth your thrashing flooDryden.

2. To dig into; to penetrate; to trace out; to fathom. I can not delve him to the root. Shak.

delve Delve, v. i.

Defn: To dig or labor with a spade, or as with a spade; to labor as a drudge. Delve may I not: I shame to beg. Wyclif (Luke xvi. 3).

delve Delve, n. Etym: [See Delve, v. t., and cf. Delf a mine.]

Defn: A place dug; a pit; a ditch; a den; a cave. Which to that shady delve him brought at last The very tigers from their delves Look out. Moore.