dive
UK: daɪv | US: daɪv
vi. to plunge headfirst into water
vi. to descend quickly or steeply (e.g., an aircraft)
n. an act of diving
n. a sharp decline (e.g., in prices)
The word "dive" traces back to Old English dȳfan ("to dip, immerse") and dūfan ("to sink"), both derived from Proto-Germanic dūbijaną. Its core meaning of "plunging into water" has remained consistent, later expanding metaphorically to describe rapid downward movement (e.g., stocks, aircraft). As a monosyllabic Germanic root, it resists further morpheme division.
The athlete will dive from the 10-meter platform.
Eagles dive at incredible speeds to catch prey.
The company’s profits took a sudden dive last quarter.
She practiced her dive repeatedly to perfect the technique.
The submarine began to dive beneath the waves.