vt.

1. 挖掘（穴、洞等）；开凿
   They plan to excavate a large hole before putting in the foundations.

   他们计划打地基前先挖个大洞。

2. 发掘（古物等）
   The archaeologists excavated a buried city.

   考古学家发掘出一个埋在地下的城市。

vi.

1. 挖掘；发掘

v.

1. make (a hole or channel) by digging.
   ▸dig out (material) from the ground.
2. carefully remove earth from (an area) in order to find buried remains.