Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DELVE, v.

1. tr. and intr. To dig, esp. to dig over a garden, etc. Now chiefly n.Eng. and Sc. Cf. Dell, v.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxiii.:
Sae aff I gaed and left Will to delve his last dwellings by himsel.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 8:
An' syne begood to delve the yaird, Gin that his parritch were weel air'd.Abd. a.1776 Anon. Logie of Buchan in Herd's MSS. (ed. Hecht 1904) 120:
O Logie of Buchan, o Logie the laird, They hae ta'en awa Jamie that delv'd i' the yard.m.Lth. 1793 G. Robertson Agric. m.Lth. 30:
Land is delved at 3d. the fall, or 2 l. the acre.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish xviii.:
She was delving to plant potatoes.Rxb. 1826 A. Scott Poems 55:
Gif forc'd to trail at harrows, carts, or plows, Or delve at dykes ilk day wi' sweaty brows.

Hence (1) delver, one who delves; (2) delvings, = Delf, n., 1 (1).(1) Sc. 1724–27 Ramsay T. T. Misc. (1733) 23:
My dady's a delver of dikes. My mither can card and spin.(2) Sh. 1756 Rev. J. Mill Diary (S.H.S. 1889) 150–151:
By encroachments of punds and delvings, the minister is like to be cut out of his privileges of moss and muir, if a speedy stop is not put to their career.

Phr.: to delve the bank, to argue out the matter (Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Back o' Benachie App. 190).

2. tr. To dig in; to insert. Rare.Rnf. 1852 (2nd ed.) J. Fraser Poetic Chimes 81:
Just delve yer claws, and in a crack, His character, Ye can hae't battered on his back Ere he could stir.

3. intr. To toil, to plod laboriously. Also found in Eng. dial. and in slang.Ags. 1888 J. Barrie Auld Licht Idylls xi.:
As we delved up the twisting road between two fields, that leads to the farm of Little Rathie.