Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Dive
Dive
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Dived
, colloq. Dove
, a relic of the AS. strong forms deáf, dofen; p. pr. & vb. n.
Diving
.] [OE.
diven
, duven
, AS. d[GREEK]fan
to sink, v. t., fr. d[GREEK]fan
, v. i.; akin to Icel. d[GREEK]fa
, 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.
☞ 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
,Verb.
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
,Noun.
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Dive
DIVE
,Verb.
I.
1.
To descend or plunge into water, as an animal head first; to thrust the body into water or other liquor, or if already in water, to plunge deeper. In the pearl fishery men are employed to dive for shells.2.
To go deep into any subject; as, to dive into the nature of things, into arts or science.3.
To plunge into any business or condition, so as to be thoroughly engaged in it.4.
To sink; to penetrate.Dive, thought, down to my soul.
DIVE
,Verb.
T.
The Curtii bravely dived the gulf of fame.