ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dig into

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to start doing something with a lot of energy, or to search for information in a deep way.

phr. v.. to investigate something thoroughly or to begin a task or meal with enthusiasm; often used to describe research or the consumption of food.


SIMPLE

Let's dig into the data to find the problem.

CONTEXTUAL

The journalist spent months digging into the company's records to uncover the truth about the scandal.

COMPLEX

Before we can propose a solution, we must dig into the underlying socio-economic factors that contributed to the current crisis.

Particles
into
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
dig + into + object
Usage

often followed by an abstract noun like 'details', 'data', or 'research', or a physical noun like 'dinner'.

Teaching tip

contrast the literal sense of digging a hole with the figurative sense of 'unearthing' information; it implies a level of effort and depth.

Pitfall

He digged into the files.He dug into the files.'dig' is an irregular verb; the past tense and past participle are 'dug'.

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