Word Origin & History
diveemerged 13c. from O.E. dufan "to dive, duck, sink" (intransitive, class II strong verb; past tense deaf, pp. dofen) and dyfan "to dip, submerge" (weak, transitive), from P.Gmc. *dubijanan. Past tense dove is a later formation, perhaps on analogy of drive/drove. Sense of "disreputable bar" is first recorded
EXPANDAmer.Eng. 1871, perhaps because they were usually in basements, and going into one was both a literal and figurative "diving." Related: Diver; diving.
Divestraditional name for a rich man, late 14c., from L. dives "rich (man)," used in Luke xvi in Vulgate and commonly mistaken as the proper name of the man in the parable. Related to divus "divine," and originally meaning "favored by the gods."
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