delve

 
Pronunciation: /dɛlv/

verb

[no object]
  • 1reach inside a receptacle and search for something: she delved in her pocket
  • research or make painstaking enquiries into something: the society is determined to delve deeper into the matter
  • 2 archaic dig; excavate: when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman? [with object]: the approach from the surface above had awed her, so hugely delved were the tunnels

Derivatives

delver

noun

Origin:

Old English delfan 'dig', of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch delven