I have seen the term "delve" in the context of discussions "tonight we delve into the consequences of..." or in its archaic acceptation for "excavate" but I have not really seen it as a way to convey that someone engages in an activity. I'm mostly interested that the person reading it will understand that I do photography; I'm not concerned about they realizing I do it seriously (although, ideally that would be conveyed too, it's just not a priority). I did google this exact phrase and it does show up, but none of the pages I found it in were authoritative, hence here I am asking. Thanks in advance!
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4See this definition. I think delve always has the connotation of searching, not just engaging in an activity.– Kate BuntingCommented Jul 2, 2022 at 17:56
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1@Kate Yes; M-W also requires that the approach be in depth.– Edwin AshworthCommented Jul 2, 2022 at 18:32
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I've always interpreted "delve", in this sense, to mean about the same as "dive". Ie, one enters the area of study with vigor, and submerses oneself in the topic.– Hot LicksCommented Jul 2, 2022 at 18:54
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1I think you could use it like this: I am delving into photography., referring to sustained research of some kind.– Jack O'FlahertyCommented Jul 2, 2022 at 19:04
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Delve represents an action. It doesn’t convey the state of the entity doing the delving, other than a desire to know more at the end of the delving than they did at the beginning. A cooking class might delve into the minutae of cookie sprinkles. A researcher in biochemistry might delve into the resonant structures of large molecules. Sometimes, state can be inferred from action. With delve, the inference is pretty weak.– Global CharmCommented Jul 2, 2022 at 19:44
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1 Answer
"I dabble with photography now and then" : Not Serious
"I am a dilettante in photography" : Not Serious
"I am keenly into photography" : Serious
"I am skilled in photography" : Serious
Delve [ to examine something carefully ] is not suitable, which Kate Bunting has commented earlier.
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