to form a hole by moving soil: The tunnel was dug with the aid of heavy machinery. The dog was digging a hole to hide its bone in. Fewer examples The prisoners are made to dig holes and fill them in again. The ground was frozen hard and was impossible to dig. They dug a shallow pit and threw the bodies into it. We dug a hole and planted the tree. Workmen stumbled upon the mosaic while digging foundations for a new building.