dig in

verb

dug in; digging in; digs in

transitive verb

1

: to cover or incorporate by burying

dig in compost

2

: to establish in a dug defensive position

the platoon was well dug in

intransitive verb

1

: to establish a defensive position especially by digging trenches

2

a

: to go resolutely to work

b

: to begin eating

3

: to hold stubbornly to a position

4

: to scuff the ground for better footing while batting (as in baseball)

Phrases

dig in one's heels

: to take or persist in an uncompromising position or attitude despite opposition

Examples of dig in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a fortnight, the Tractor Boys had begun to look streetwise, knowing when to press for a goal and, perhaps more importantly, when to dig in and defend. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024

One sequence the team dug in their heels to include was a scene in which the Colosseum was flooded for a nautical battle between a boatload of Romans and a ship full of gladiators. —Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024

The designer started to ponder the idea a couple years ago, while digging in vintage archives during a stay in Paris. —Sandra Salibian, WWD, 31 Oct. 2024

Tyler specifically digs in about pregnancy as well as the fears of becoming a father. —Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

dig in

verb

1

: to dig and take position in a trench

the soldiers dug in

2

a

: to go to work

b

: to begin eating