dive

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To jump into water head first.

   She dived gracefully into the pool from the high board.

2. 2
   verb

   To swim or go down under the water.

   The divers dived to explore the sunken ship.

3. 3
   verb

   To drop down quickly and steeply.

   The plane suddenly dived towards the ground.

4. 4
   verb

   To start doing something quickly and with great enthusiasm.

   She dived right into her new job and started making changes.

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.

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