From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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.
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It is not that pearls fetch a high price because men
have dived for them. --Whately.
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Note: The colloquial form dove is common in the United States
as an imperfect tense form.
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All [the walruses] dove down with a tremendous
splash. --Dr. Hayes.
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When closely pressed it [the loon] dove . . . and
left the young bird sitting in the water. --J.
Burroughs.
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2. Fig.: To plunge or to go deeply into any subject,
question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore.
--South.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Dove \Dove\ (d[u^]v), n. [OE. dove, duve, douve, AS. d[=u]fe;
akin to OS. d[=u]ba, D. duif, OHG. t[=u]ba, G. taube, Icel.
d[=u]fa, Sw. dufva, Dan. due, Goth. d[=u]b[=o]; perh. from
the root of E. dive.]
1. (Zool.) A pigeon of the genus Columba and various
related genera. The species are numerous.
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Note: The domestic dove, including the varieties called
fantails, tumblers, carrier pigeons, etc., was
derived from the rock pigeon (Columba livia) of
Europe and Asia; the turtledove of Europe, celebrated
for its sweet, plaintive note, is Columba turtur or
Turtur vulgaris; the ringdove, the largest of
European species, is Columba palumbus; the {Carolina
dove}, or Mourning dove, is Zenaidura macroura; the
sea dove is the little auk (Mergulus alle or {Alle
alle}). See Turtledove, Ground dove, and {Rock
pigeon}. The dove is a symbol of peace, innocence,
gentleness, and affection; also, in art and in the
Scriptures, the typical symbol of the Holy Ghost.
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2. A word of endearment for one regarded as pure and gentle.
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O my dove, . . . let me hear thy voice. --Cant. ii.
14.
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3. a person advocating peace, compromise or conciliation
rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawk.
[PJC]
Dove tick (Zool.), a mite (Argas reflexus) which infests
doves and other birds.
Soiled dove, a prostitute. [Slang] Dovecot
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
dove
n 1: any of numerous small pigeons
2: someone who prefers negotiations to armed conflict in the
conduct of foreign relations [syn: dove, peacenik] [ant:
hawk, war hawk]
3: a constellation in the southern hemisphere near Puppis and
Caelum [syn: Columba, Dove]
4: flesh of a pigeon suitable for roasting or braising; flesh of
a dove (young squab) may be broiled [syn: squab, dove]
5: an emblem of peace