dive

1 of 2

verb

dived ˈdīvd How to pronounce dive (audio) or dove ˈdōv How to pronounce dive (audio) ; dived also dove; diving

intransitive verb

1
a
: to plunge into water intentionally and especially headfirst
also : to execute a dive (see dive entry 2 sense 1a(1))
diving into the pool from the highest platform
b
: submerge
the submarine dived
2
a
: to come or drop down precipitously : plunge
the temperature is diving
b
: to plunge one's hand into something
dived into his pocket
c
of an airplane : to descend in a dive
3
a
: to plunge into some matter or activity
she dove into her studies
b
: to plunge or dash for some place
diving for cover
also : to lunge especially in order to seize something
dove for the ball

transitive verb

1
: to thrust into something
diving one's hands into the icy water
2
: to cause to dive
dive a submarine
Dived vs. Dove: Usage Guide

Dive, which was originally a weak verb, developed a past tense dove, probably by analogy with verbs like drive, drove. Dove exists in some British dialects and has become the standard past tense especially in speech in some parts of Canada. In the U.S. dived and dove are both widespread in speech as past tense and past participle, with dove less common than dived in the south Midland area, and dived less common than dove in the Northern and north Midland areas. In writing, the past tense dived is usual in British English and somewhat more common in American English. Dove seems relatively rare as a past participle in writing.

dive

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act or an instance of diving: such as
a(1)
: a plunge into water executed in a prescribed manner
practicing her dives
(2)
nautical : a submerging of a submarine
(3)
aviation : a steep descent of an airplane at greater than the maximum speed of horizontal flight
b
: a sharp decline
Stocks took a dive.
2
: a shabby and disreputable establishment (such as a bar or nightclub)
3
combat sports : a faked knockout
usually used in the phrase take a dive
a boxer accused of taking a dive
4
football : an offensive (see offensive entry 1 sense 1c) play in which the ballcarrier plunges into the line (see line entry 1 sense 7f(2)) for short yardage

Examples of dive in a Sentence

Verb She dove into the swimming pool. The children like to dive off the boat. The competitors will be diving from the highest platform. Many people enjoy diving on the island's coral reefs. You can't dive in this water without a wet suit. The submarine can dive to 3,000 feet. The whale dove down to deeper water. Noun She practiced her dives for the competition. This will be my first dive on a coral reef. She has done dives all around the world. The crew of the submarine prepared for a dive. The jet rolled into a dive.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Marieke dives into her craft wholeheartedly and she is never bogged down by excuses. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 The easy-to-use release button allows your swimmer to adjust their straps before diving into the water. Ambrosia V. Brody, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024 Besides trying out surfing, visitors can swim, dive, or sail along the stunning shoreline. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 As for what caused the plane to dive suddenly, that’s not clear just yet. Collin Woodard / Jalopnik, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 Robert kept mostly aloof from politics, but Frank dived in. Kc Cole, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 After spending the day exploring Canada’s largest city, dive into Toronto’s biggest year-round indoor-outdoor pool. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 To help her two friends learn more about what Earth is all about, the singer dives into a catchy song as the trio travels through different landscapes — from green rolling hills to fields of flowers. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 The best time to dive in Tulum is between May and November. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024
Noun
Already agitated United States-Israel relations have taken a further dive – to what some say is their lowest point ever – as the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip has worsened. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024 The number of marriages took a dive around the start of the pandemic, numbers show. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024 In recent days, Boeing alerted airlines to a potential issue with loose switches on the pilot seats of its 787 Dreamliner jets after one of the planes went into a sudden dive, injuring 50 people, The Washington Post reported. Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 Roundtable dives in one last time to take a final look at the highs, lows and head scratchers from Sunday night’s ceremony. Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 The fishermen contacted authorities last week and, on Monday, fire officials from multiple agencies joined dive teams at the site and used a crane to help lift the car from the water. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024 The short documentary dives into the inner workings of a workshop that is dedicated to providing free musical instrument repairs for Los Angeles students. Kristina Behr, Parents, 11 Mar. 2024 In those early days, the ‘Birds would play local dive bars like the Nowhere Bar, a small venue that doesn’t leave much room for a crowd after the pool tables, booths, and barstools are taken into account. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2024 The Accomplice, however, is a dive into a new form of storytelling, and has potential to live on in other avenues, per the author. Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English diven, duven, from Old English dȳfan to dip & dūfan to dive; akin to Old English dyppan to dip — more at dip

Noun

derivative of dive entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dive was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near dive

Cite this Entry

“Dive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dive. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dive

1 of 2 verb
dived ˈdīvd How to pronounce dive (audio) or dove ˈdōv How to pronounce dive (audio) ; diving
1
a
: to plunge into water headfirst
2
a
: to fall fast
the temperature dived at night
b
: to descend in an airplane at a very steep angle
3
a
: to plunge into some matter or activity
b
: to thrust oneself forward suddenly : lunge
dived for cover
diver noun

dive

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act or an instance of diving: as
a
: a plunge into water done in a specified manner
b
: a steep downward movement of a submarine or an airplane
c
: a sharp drop (as in prices)
2
: a shabby place (as a bar)
3
: a faked knockout in boxing

More from Merriam-Webster on dive

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