Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DELVE, v.t. [delv; Sax. delfan; D. delven; Russ. dolblyu; to dig. Qu. Arm. toulla, to dig or make a hole, W. twll, a hole, and L. talpa, a mole, perhaps the delver.]

1. To dig; to open the ground with a spade. Delve of convenient depth your thrashing floor. – Dryden.
2. To fathom; to sound; to penetrate. I can not delve him to the root. – Shak.