Definition

The action of making a hole in the ground or moving earth, usually with a tool or by hand.

Example

The children spent the afternoon digging in the sand at the beach.

Conversation

I saw you digging in the garden yesterday; what were you up to?

Oh, I was just planting some new flowers for spring.

That sounds fun! I love digging around in the dirt when I garden.

Yeah, it's really relaxing and satisfying to see the plants grow.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

The action of making a hole in the ground or moving earth, often with a tool like a shovel.

Example

They are digging a hole for the new tree in the garden.

Tense Forms

Conversation

What are you up to this weekend?

I’m thinking about digging in the garden to plant some flowers.

That sounds like a fun project!

Root Explanation

Digging → It is formed from "dig" (from Old English "dīcgan", meaning to make a hole or to excavate) and "-ing" (a suffix used to indicate the action or process of). The word "digging" refers to the action or process of making a hole or excavating.

Memory Tip

Think of the Old English word for making a hole — that's what digging means, the action of creating a space in the ground.

Visually Confused Words