delve Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb turn up, loosen, or remove earth
    dig; turn over; cut into.
    • Dig we must
    • turn over the soil for aeration

WordNet

Delve transitive verb
Etymology
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Delved ; present participle & verbal noun Delving
Definitions
  1. To dig; to open (the ground) as with a spade.
    Delve of convenient depth your thrashing floo Dryden.
  2. To dig into; to penetrate; to trace out; to fathom.
    I can not delve him to the root. Shak.
Delve intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. 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 noun
Etymology
See Delve, v. t., and cf. Delf a mine.
Definitions
  1. A place dug; a pit; a ditch; a den; a cave.
    Which to that shady delve him brought at last penser.
    The very tigers from their delves Look out. Moore.

Webster 1913