0

I have TWO related questions about the phrase "dig out".

First Question: Is there a difference between these two sentences?

  1. The town is digging out from the snow.
  2. The town is digging out from under the snow.

Are "dig out from the snow" different from "dig out from under the snow"? Sentences using both versions could be found on google.

Second question: Suppose there was a snowstorm with several feet of snow.

  1. He dug out his car.
  2. He dug out his driveway.

I found both versions on google. But, "dig out a driveway" seems weird compared to "dig out a car". One can realistically get a car out of snow by digging. But a driveway is stationary. The most one can do is to clear the snow off the driveway. So, would "dig out a driveway" be wrong?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

dig out
a. to remove earth or debris from by digging.

Dig out
2. dig out - dig out from underneath earth or snow

Dig out
1. to get something out of a place or out of the ground by digging
Rescuers are still digging people out of the rubble.

If a town is "buried" in snow, the citizens can "dig out from the snow" or "dig out from under the snow" or "dig out after the snowstorm". The prepositional phrase is just describing how the town is "digging out".

If I "dig out" my driveway, I am removing snow (or maybe mud) from it. If I "dig out" my car, I am getting it out of the snow by digging.

Improve this answer
5
  • So, "dig out the driveway" is an acceptable idiom in snowy regions of the US?
    – meatie
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 1:13
  • @meatie Why do you think it isn't acceptable?
    – ColleenV
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 1:17
  • With "dig something out", it seems to suggest that "something" is physically taken from some place. A car could be reasonably physically taken from some place. But a driveway cannot be reasonably physically taken from some place (unless some heavy-duty equipment is used).
    – meatie
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 3:11
  • @meatie Think of digging out as removing the snow that is covering or blocking something. Thus, digging your car out and digging your driveway out are often part of the same, tiring, morning routine.
    – choster
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 3:17
  • @meatie And why wouldn't the first definition in my answer apply to "digging out the driveway"? Don't take the "earth or debris" too literally there - think of it as any material that you can dig - snow, sand, etc.
    – ColleenV
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 4:08
0

Regarding the second question

  1. He dug out his car out of the snow.
  2. He dug out the snow from his driveway.

sounds better to me!

Improve this answer
1
  • So, "dig out the driveway" is an acceptable idiom only in snowy regions of the US?
    – meatie
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 1:14

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .