dive

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   plunge into water

   I was afraid to dive from the board into the pool

2. 2
   verb

   To swim under water.

   He dove in the water to save her.

3. 3
   verb

   To jump into water head-first.

   It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men have dived for them.

4. 4
   verb

   To jump headfirst toward the ground or into another substance.

   to dive into home plate

5. 5
   verb

   To descend sharply or steeply.

   [the Hammersmith & City at Paddington]: There it dived underground, eventually enabling its train services to run over, and be entangled with, the easterly extensions of the Metropolitan and the District.

6. 6
   verb

   To undertake with enthusiasm.

   She dove right in and started making improvements.

7. 7
   verb

   To cause to descend, dunk; to plunge something into water.

   To dive an infant either thrice or but once in Baptism

8. 8
   verb

   To explore by diving; to plunge into.

   The Curtii bravely dived the gulf of flame.

Etymology

From Middle English diven, duven, from the merger of Old English dȳfan (“to dip, immerse”, transitive weak verb) (from Proto-Germanic *dūbijaną) and dūfan (“to duck, dive, sink, penetrate”, intransitive strong verb) (past participle ġedofen). Cognate with Icelandic dýfa (“to dip, dive”), Low German bedaven (“covered, covered with water”). See also deep, dip.