Dig v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dug or Digged p. pr. & vb. n. Digging. -- Digged is archaic.]
 1. To turn up, or delve in, (earth) with a spade or a hoe; to open, loosen, or break up (the soil) with a spade, or other sharp instrument; to pierce, open, or loosen, as if with a spade.
    Be first to dig the ground.   --Dryden.
 2. To get by digging; as, to dig potatoes, or gold.
 3. To hollow out, as a well; to form, as a ditch, by removing earth; to excavate; as, to dig a ditch or a well.
 4. To thrust; to poke. [Colloq.]
    You should have seen children . . . dig and push their mothers under the sides, saying thus to them: Look, mother, how great a lubber doth yet wear pearls.   --Robynson (More's Utopia).
 To dig down, to undermine and cause to fall by digging; as, to dig down a wall.
 To dig from, To dig out of, To dig out,  To dig up, to get out or obtain by digging; as, to dig coal from or out of a mine; to dig out fossils; to dig up a tree. The preposition is often omitted; as, the men are digging coal, digging iron ore, digging potatoes.
 To dig in, (a) to cover by digging; as, to dig in manure. (b) To entrench oneself so as to give stronger resistance; -- used of warfare or negotiating situations.
 to dig in one's heels To offer stubborn resistance.