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dive

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dive in

To begin or undertake something quickly, enthusiastically, and without trepidation. I know you're nervous about starting school, but you just need to dive in and do your best!

See also: dive

take a dive

1. In boxing, to pretend to be knocked out by one's opponent. (Generally done as a means of rigging the outcome of the match, so as to exploit betting odds and trends.) Heavily favored to dominate the match against the challenger, the defending champion has been suspected of taking a dive in the championship match last Saturday.

2. In soccer (football), to fall to the ground and make a very ostentatious display that one is in pain and anguish after making contact with an opposing player. (Done so as to draw a penalty kick for one's team.) It is so obvious that player from England took a dive!

3. In the stock market, to very suddenly become lower in value, as of the shares in a company or in the market as a whole. News of the automaker's deceptive practice of cheating on emissions tests has caused the company's shares to take a massive dive this afternoon. The market took a dive over the weekend after rumors of England's exit from the Eurozone.

See also: dive, take

crash dive

1. noun A sudden descent, typically in an emergency situation. The phrase is usually applied to submarines and airplanes. Engine two is out, prepare for a crash dive!

2. verb To make such a descent. My brain could barely comprehend that the our lives were in danger before the plane started to crash dive.

See also: crash, dive

dive in with both feet

 and jump in with both feet

Fig. to become completely involved with something quickly, especially something new. I had never done anything like this before, but I just jumped in with both feet and learned it in no time.

See also: both, dive, feet

dive off

((of) something ) to jump off something headfirst. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Rachel dived off of the rock into the river. She dived off the high diving board.

See also: dive, off

take a fall

 and take a dive

to fake being knocked out in a boxing match. Wilbur wouldn't take a fall. He doesn't have it in him. The boxer took a dive in the second round and made everyone suspicious.

See also: fall, take

dive into something

also dive in

to start something enthusiastically without first thinking about it Our mistake was to dive into the work without much preparation.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of dive in (to go head first into water)

See also: dive

ducking and diving

  (informal)

if you spend your time ducking and diving, you are involved in many different activities, especially ones which are not honest 'What do you do for a living?' 'This and that, ducking and diving.'

See also: and, dive, duck

take a fall

1. Also, take a spill. Suffer a fall, fall down, as in You took quite a fall on the ski slopes, didn't you? or Bill took a spill on the ice.

2. Be arrested or convicted, as in He's taken a fall or two and spent some years in jail. [Slang; 1920s]

See also: fall, take

dive in

v.

1. To plunge one's body into something: The swimmer stood at the edge of the pool and dived in. The bird flew up suddenly before diving in the water.

2. To start enthusiastically: The teacher laid out the chemistry equipment, and the students dived in.

3. To start eating eagerly: I'm getting hungry, I can't wait to dive in. Here's the pizza; dive in!

See also: dive

dive into

v.

1. To plunge one's body into something: The swimmer dived into the pool.

2. To start doing something enthusiastically: The class dived into the science experiment.

3. To start eating or drinking something eagerly: The hungry children dove into the pizza.

See also: dive

creep joint

and creep dive

n. an unpleasant place populated by creeps. You shouldn’t go into a creep joint like that alone. What’s a nice girl like you doing in a creep dive like this?

See also: creep, joint

creep dive

verb

See creep joint

See also: creep, dive

dive

n. a low drinking establishment; a cheap saloon. I don’t think I want to spend the whole evening in this dive.

dive a muff

tv. to perform oral sex on a woman. (Usually objectionable.) Tod likes to dive a muff every now and then.

See also: dive, muff

gin mill

and gin dive and gin palace

n. a saloon; a low liquor establishment. (Older.) Fred hit every gin mill on the way home. The joint looks like a gin dive. I’m not going in there!

See also: gin, mill

gin dive

verb

See gin mill

See also: dive, gin

take a fall

and take a dive

1. tv. to fake being knocked out in a boxing match. The boxer took a dive in the second round and made everyone suspicious.

2. tv. to get arrested. (see also take the fall.) I didn’t wanna take a fall, but the cop left me no choice.

See also: fall, take

take a dive

verb

See take a fall

See also: dive, take