delven

From Middle Dutch delven, from Old Dutch *delvan, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną.

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛlvə(n)/

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• Rhymes: -ɛlvən

delven

1. (transitive) to delve, dig, excavate

• bedelven
• delfstof

• levend, velden

From Old Dutch *delvan, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną.

delven

1. to delve, to dig, to excavate (create by digging)
2. to bury

• Dutch: delven
• Limburgish: dèlve

• “delven (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• “delven”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929

• dælfen, delfan, dealve, delve, dalven, delvyn

From Old English delfan, from Proto-Germanic *delbaną.

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛlvən/

delven

1. To dig or delve; to remove earth:
   1. To retrieve or access via digging.
   2. To furrow; to dig for an agricultural purpose.

      • 1381 June 12, John Ball, Sermon at Blackheath:

        Whan Adam dalf, and Eve span; / Wo was thanne a gentilman?

        When Adam delved and Eve spun; / Who was a nobleman then?

   3. To install or integrate; to dig in.
   4. To entomb; to dig a tomb or prepare a burial.
2. (rare) To penetrate the depths of something.

• delf
• delvere
• delvyng

• English: delve
• Scots: delve, dell, del

• “delven (v.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-09.