DIG' The term 'DIG ABOUT' is a combination of two words, the first being 'DIG, ' which is a four-letter ROOT word. The verb 'DIG' means to break up and move soil or earth with a tool or machine, usually for the purpose of creating a hole or trench. The second word in the term is 'ABOUT, ' which is an adverb that indicates movement around a particular area. Therefore, the term 'DIG ABOUT' can be interpreted as an instruction to use a tool or machine to break up and move soil or earth around a particular area.