digged: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Rare/Archaic)Literary, Archaic, Dialectal
Quick answer
What does “digged” mean?
An archaic, poetic, or dialectal past tense and past participle of the verb 'dig', meaning to break up and move earth with a tool.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An archaic, poetic, or dialectal past tense and past participle of the verb 'dig', meaning to break up and move earth with a tool.
Used in historical texts, poetry, or regional dialects to refer to the action of having excavated or turned over soil. In modern standard English, it is considered non-standard, replaced by 'dug'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally non-standard in both modern standards. May be slightly more attested in historical British dialects but is not part of contemporary standard usage in either variety.
Connotations
Evokes antiquity, biblical language, or rural life. Using it in modern conversation would be marked as a mistake or an affectation.
Frequency
Virtually absent in contemporary corpora for both BrE and AmE, except when quoting older texts.
Grammar
How to Use “digged” in a Sentence
Subject + digged + Object (e.g., They digged a trench.)Subject + digged + for + Object (e.g., He digged for gold.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “digged” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gardener digged the plot before the frost set in. (archaic/dialect)
- They digged for victory in the wartime allotment.
American English
- The pioneers digged a well on their new land. (historical narrative)
- He digged deep to find the source of the problem. (literary)
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival use.
American English
- No standard adjectival use.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics or literature studies when quoting sources.
Everyday
Not used; would be considered an error.
Technical
Not used in modern technical fields like archaeology or engineering.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “digged”
- Using 'digged' in modern writing or speech instead of 'dug'. (e.g., Incorrect: *Yesterday I digged a hole. Correct: Yesterday I dug a hole.)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not in modern standard English. 'Dug' is the correct past tense and past participle. 'Digged' is an archaic or dialectal form.
It is the regularised past form of 'dig' from Middle and Early Modern English. The verb later became irregular (dig-dug-dug), making 'digged' obsolete in standard usage.
Only in very specific contexts: when writing historical fiction, poetry aiming for an archaic tone, or when directly quoting an older text like the Bible. Otherwise, always use 'dug'.
Yes, it is a common error for learners and sometimes native speakers who over-apply the regular '-ed' past tense rule to the irregular verb 'dig'.
An archaic, poetic, or dialectal past tense and past participle of the verb 'dig', meaning to break up and move earth with a tool.
Digged is usually literary, archaic, dialectal in register.
Digged: in British English it is pronounced /dɪɡd/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɪɡd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"...and digged a pit for me..." (biblical)”
- “"digged his own grave" (archaic variant of 'dug')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'ed' in 'planted' or 'wanted'. The standard verb 'dig' is irregular (dig-dug-dug), but 'digged' follows the regular pattern, which is why it feels wrong to modern ears.
Conceptual Metaphor
TO INVESTIGATE IS TO DIG → "He digged into the old records." (archaic)
Practice
Quiz
In which context might you legitimately encounter the word 'digged'?