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Dig vs Hoe - What's the difference?

dig | hoe |

In transitive terms the difference between dig and hoe

is that dig is to get by digging; to take from the ground; often with up while hoe is to clear from weeds, or to loosen or arrange the earth about, with a hoe.

As verbs the difference between dig and hoe

is that dig is to move hard-packed earth out of the way, especially downward to make a hole with a shovel. Or to drill, or the like, through rocks, roads, or the like. More generally, to make any similar hole by moving material out of the way while hoe is to cut, dig, scrape, turn, arrange, or clean, with this tool.

As nouns the difference between dig and hoe

is that dig is an archeological investigation while hoe is an agricultural tool consisting of a long handle with a flat blade fixed perpendicular to it at the end, used for digging rows.

dig

English

(wikipedia dig)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) , from (etyl) (m), itself a borrowing of the same Germanic root (from (etyl) (m)). More at ditch, dike.

Verb

  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=Miss Thorn began digging up the turf with her lofter: it was a painful moment for me. ¶ “You might at least have tried me, Mrs. Cooke,” I said.}}
  • (label) To get by digging; to take from the ground; often with up .
  • (label) To take ore from its bed, in distinction from making excavations in search of ore.
  • To work like a digger; to study ploddingly and laboriously.
  • (label) To investigate, to research, often followed by out'' or ''up .
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=(Henry Petroski)
    • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= The Evolution of Eyeglasses , passage=Digging deeper, the invention of eyeglasses is an elaboration of the more fundamental development of optics technology. The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight.}}
  • To thrust; to poke.
  • * Robynson (More's Utopia)
    • You should have seen children dig and push their mothers under the sides, saying thus to them: Look, mother, how great a lubber doth yet wear pearls.
    Derived terms
    * dig in * dig into * dig over * dig out * dig up

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An archeological investigation.
  • (US, colloquial, dated) A plodding and laborious student.
  • A thrust; a poke.
    • He guffawed and gave me a dig in the ribs after telling his latest joke.
    • Synonyms
    * (archaeological investigation) excavation

    Etymology 2

    From (African American Vernacular English); due to lack of writing of slave speech, etymology is .Random House Unabridged, 2001 Others do not propose a distinct etymology, instead considering this a semantic shift of the existing English term (compare dig in/dig into'').eg: OED, "dig", from ME vt ''diggen

    Verb

  • (slang) To understand or show interest in.
    • You dig ?
  • (slang) To appreciate, or like.
    • Baby, I dig you.

    References

    Anagrams

    * English irregular verbs English three-letter words ----

    hoe

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) howe, from (etyl) houe, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An agricultural tool consisting of a long handle with a flat blade fixed perpendicular to it at the end, used for digging rows.
  • * 2009 , TRU TV, 28 March:
    • It was obvious that it consisted of several blows to the head from the hoe .
  • The horned or piked dogfish.
    • Derived terms
    * backhoe

    Verb

    (d)
  • (ambitransitive) To cut, dig, scrape, turn, arrange, or clean, with this tool.
    • to hoe the earth in a garden
    Every year, I hoe my garden for aeration.
    I always take a shower after I hoe in my garden.
  • To clear from weeds, or to loosen or arrange the earth about, with a hoe.
    • to hoe corn
    Derived terms
    * long row to hoe

    See also

    * mattock * pick * rake

    External links

    *

    Etymology 2

    From non-rhotic whore.

    Alternative forms

    * ho

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US, slang) A prostitute.
  • * 2002 , Eithne Quinn, Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang: The Culture and Commerce of Gangsta Rap
    • […] this chapter […] will […] explore why pimp (and hoe ) characters, with their dramatic staging of gendered and occupational relations […] have taken such hold of the black youth imagination
  • * 2003 , Dan Harrington, The Good Eye
    • At school they had been among the only couples that had not done “it” at the Pimp & Hoe parties that popped up occasionally at the dorm
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Verb

    (d)
  • (US, slang) To act as a prostitute.
  • * 2003 , Da’rel the Relentless One, M. T. Pimp
    • Pimpin’ came so naturally to MT when he and his sisters played pimp and hoe games that one of his sisters wanted to hoe for him when they grew up.

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) (m).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A piece of land that juts out towards the sea; a promontory.

    • Usage notes

    * Now used only in placenames e.g. "Plymouth Hoe". ----