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 To Excavate Verb From  Make Excavated  Hollow Digging

Title excavate
Text
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
ex·ca·vate

 \\ˈek-skə-ˌvāt\\ verb 
(-vat·ed ; -vat·ing)
 ETYMOLOGY  Latin excavatus, past participle of excavare, from ex- + cavare to make hollow — more at 
cavatina
 DATE  1599
transitive verb
1. to form a cavity or hole in
2. to form by hollowing out
3. to dig out and remove
4. to expose to view by or as if by digging away a covering
    excavate the remains of a temple
intransitive verb
: to make excavations
English Etymology
excavate
  1599, from L. excavatus, pp. of excavare "to hollow out," from ex- "out" + cavare "to hollow," from cavus "cave."
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7
excavate
ex·cav·ate 5ekskEveit / verb[VN] 
1. to dig in the ground to look for old buildings or objects that have been buried for a long time; to find sth by digging in this way
   发掘,挖出(古建筑或古物):
   The site has been excavated by archaeologists. 
   这个遗址已被考古学家发掘出来。 
   pottery and weapons excavated from the burial site 
   从墓地挖掘出的陶器和兵器 
2. (formal) to make a hole, etc. in the ground by digging
   挖掘,开凿,挖空(洞、隧道等):
   The body was discovered when builders excavated the area. 
   建筑工人挖地时发现了这具尸体。 
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English
Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of English


excavate 
verb 
ADV. completely, fully The area has not yet been fully excavated. | extensively | partially, partly | carefully 

PREP. from Pottery has been excavated from the site. 

Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged
ex·ca·vate
\ˈekskəˌvāt, usu -ād.+V\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Latin excavatus, past participle of excavare, from ex- ex- (I) + cavare to make hollow, from cavus hollow — more at 
cave
transitive verb
1. : to hollow out : form a cavity or hole in
 excavating the side of a hill >
 < an excavated wisdom tooth >
2. : to form by hollowing : shape by removing material so as to leave a space
 < will excavate the cellar as soon as the frost goes >
 excavated a tunnel under the river >
3. : to dig out and remove (as earth or mineral matter)
 < over a million tons of rich ore were excavated from that one pocket >
4. : to expose to view by or as if by digging away a covering
 excavated the remains of 10 separate cultures >
 excavated several forgotten accounts of the brawl >
intransitive verb
: to make excavations or become hollowed out
 < the mollusk uses its pointed foot to excavate in the mud >
 < an area of infarction in soft tissue often tends to excavate >
Synonyms: see 
dig

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