Dive (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dived (?), colloq. Dove (&unr_;), a relic of the AS. strong forms deáf, dofen; p. pr. & vb. n. Diving.] [OE. diven, duven, AS. d&unr_;fan to sink, v. t., fr. d&unr_;fan, v. i.; akin to Icel. d&unr_;fa, G. taufen, E. dip, deep, and perh. to dove, n. Cf. Dip.] 1. To plunge into water head foremost; to thrust the body under, or deeply into, water or other fluid.
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It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men have dived for them. Whately.
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&hand_; The colloquial form dove is common in the United States as an imperfect tense form.
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All [the walruses] dove down with a tremendous splash. Dr. Hayes.
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When closely pressed it [the loon] dove . . . and left the young bird sitting in the water. J. Burroughs.
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2. Fig.: To plunge or to go deeply into any subject, question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore. South.
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Dive, n. 1. A plunge headforemost into water, the act of one who dives, literally or figuratively.
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2. A place of low resort. [Slang]
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The music halls and dives in the lower part of the city. J. Hawthorne.
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