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.

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Diving \Div"ing\, a. That dives or is used or diving.

Diving beetle (Zo["o]l.), 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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)