burrow

1. a hole or tunnel in the ground made by a rabbit, fox, or similar animal to live or hide in:

   Even in winter, chipmunks are active in their burrows and emerge on sunny days.

2. a place of retreat; shelter or refuge:

   His study is his burrow—we have to coax him out for every meal.

1. to make a hole or passage in, into, or under something:

   This small bird can survive cold Arctic nights by burrowing into the snow.

2. to lodge in an underground hole or tunnel:

   Many rodents burrow over the winter.

3. to hide:

   My cat likes to burrow under the rug and surprise me by jumping out as I walk past.

   Fleeing fame, he burrowed in a small town to focus on his family for a decade or so.

4. to proceed by or as if by digging:

   Buried under sediment, the clams can burrow up to the surface from a depth of 16 inches.

   Stray dogs burrowed through the piles of trash looking for scraps.

5. to penetrate deeply into something so as to investigate, exploit, or influence it, etc.:

   In her book on the brain, the writer burrows into the workings of an organ once deemed unknowable.

   These nasty computer viruses are adept at burrowing into your system.

1. to dig holes or passages into (a hill, mountainside, etc.):

   When earthworms burrow the soil, they aerate it and help plant roots to penetrate deeper.

2. to hide or shelter in a safe, snug space:

   The abandoned pup had burrowed itself in the straw of the barn out of pure fear.

   She burrowed the runt piglet in her coat till she had completed her chores in the barn.

3. to make by or as if by digging:

   We burrowed our way through the crowd.

verb phrase

1. 1. to penetrate or dig into or under something:

      The beetle’s larvae burrow in and feed on the living tissues just beneath the tree’s bark.

      All my historical research was spurred by this confidence that I could burrow in and find answers.

   2. to enter and become lodged or settled in a place:

      The enemy had taken over the town and burrowed in.

      He was just going to crash at my place for “a few days,” but he’s burrowed in.

   3. (of a political appointee) to be hired as a permanent civil servant when the administration that made the appointment leaves power:

      He was the appointed director of the agency, and later burrowed in as a manager.