Category:Dive

Dive, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dived, colloq. Dove (, a relic of the AS. strong forms deáf, dofen; p. pr. & vb. n. Diving.] Etym: [OE. diven, duven, AS. d to sink, v. t., fr. d, v. i.; akin to Icel. d, G. taufen, E. dip, deep, and perh. to dove, n. Cf. Dip.]

1. To plunge into water head foremost; to thrust the body under, or deeply into, water or other fluid. It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men have dived for them. Whately.

Note: The colloquial form dove is common in the United States as an imperfect tense form. All [the walruses] dove down with a tremendous splash. Dr. Hayes. When closely pressed it [the loon] dove. . . and left the young bird sitting in the water. J. Burroughs.

2. Fig.: To plunge or to go deeply into any subject, question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore. South.

dive Dive, v. t.

1. To plunge (a person or thing) into water; to dip; to duck. [Obs.] Hooker.

2. To explore by diving; to plunge into. [R.] The Curtii bravely dived the gulf of fame. Denham. He dives the hollow, climbs the steeps. Emerson.

dive Dive, n.

1. A plunge headforemost into water, the act of one who dives, literally or figuratively.

2. A place of low resort. [Slang] The music halls and dives in the lower part of the city. J. Hawthorne.