diving
    n 1: an athletic competition that involves diving into water
         [syn: diving, diving event]
    2: a headlong plunge into water [syn: dive, diving]

Dive \Dive\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dived, colloq. Dove, a
   relic of the AS. strong forms de['a]f, dofen; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Diving.] [OE. diven, duven, AS. d?fan to sink, v. t., fr.
   d?fan, v. i.; akin to Icel. d?fa, G. taufen, E. dip, deep,
   and perh. to dove, n. Cf. Dip.]
   1. To plunge into water head foremost; to thrust the body
      under, or deeply into, water or other fluid.
      [1913 Webster]

            It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men
            have dived for them.                  --Whately.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The colloquial form dove is common in the United States
         as an imperfect tense form.
         [1913 Webster]

               All [the walruses] dove down with a tremendous
               splash.                            --Dr. Hayes.
         [1913 Webster]

               When closely pressed it [the loon] dove . . . and
               left the young bird sitting in the water. --J.
                                                  Burroughs.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. Fig.: To plunge or to go deeply into any subject,
      question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore.
      --South.
      [1913 Webster]

Diving \Div"ing\, a.
   That dives or is used or diving.
   [1913 Webster]

   Diving beetle (Zool.), any beetle of the family
      Dytiscid[ae], which habitually lives under water; --
      called also water tiger.

   Diving bell, a hollow inverted vessel, sometimes
      bell-shaped, in which men may descend and work under
      water, respiration being sustained by the compressed air
      at the top, by fresh air pumped in through a tube from
      above.

   Diving dress. See Submarine armor, under Submarine.

   Diving stone, a kind of jasper.
      [1913 Webster]