Phrasal verb
dig into
Definition
phrasal verb. to start doing something with a lot of energy, or to search for information in a deep way.
phrasal verb. to investigate something thoroughly or to begin a task or meal with enthusiasm; often used to describe research or the consumption of food.
Examples
“Let's dig into the data to find the problem.”
“The journalist spent months digging into the company's records to uncover the truth about the scandal.”
“Before we can propose a solution, we must dig into the underlying socio-economic factors that contributed to the current crisis.”
Examples
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.”
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'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
into
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
dig + into + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/dig-into