To delve means to investigate something deeply and thoroughly, like digging down to uncover what's hidden beneath the surface. When a detective delves into a mystery, she examines every clue carefully. When your teacher asks you to delve into a poem's meaning, she wants you to look beyond the obvious words to discover deeper ideas.

Delving takes work: you dig into it with sustained effort and concentration. A historian might delve into old documents to understand what life was like 200 years ago. A scientist delves into research papers to understand a complex problem.

You might delve into a fascinating book, getting absorbed in its world and ideas. You could delve into your family history, asking grandparents questions and looking through old photographs. When you delve into something, you're committing to really understanding it, exploring it thoroughly and carefully. The word suggests curiosity, persistence, and a genuine desire to discover what lies beneath the surface.