unearth
unearth — verb
1. to dig into the ground and bring something up from below the surface
to dig into the ground and bring something up from below the surface
Workers unearthing the foundation of the old temple found several clay pots.
unearth + object while [activity]
While building the new road, the crew unearthed a set of dinosaur bones.
The archaeologists carefully unearthed a bronze bowl from the ancient burial site.
During the storm, the river unearthed an old iron gate buried in the mud.
文法句型
unearth + noun phrase
unearth + noun phrase + from + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used in archaeological and construction contexts. The passive form is common: bones / ruins / treasure were unearthed.
常見錯誤
2. to locate an object that was hidden, buried, or lost, whether by looking for it
to locate an object that was hidden, buried, or lost, whether by looking for it or stumbling upon it
Rachel unearthed a box of old photographs while cleaning out her grandmother's house.
unearthed + [hidden object] while [activity]
The gardener unearthed a rusted iron key while planting flowers in the backyard.
A hidden tunnel was unearthed beneath the castle during the renovation work.
Liang unearthed his grandfather's old diary from the bottom of a dusty box.
文法句型
unearth + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object is usually something that was deliberately hidden or lost for a long time, not simply misplaced.
常見錯誤
3. to discover information or facts that were not previously known, especially by m
to discover information or facts that were not previously known, especially by making a thorough investigation
The journalist unearthed evidence that the company had been hiding its losses for years.
unearth + evidence that [clause]
A team of researchers unearthed documents showing the building was once a hospital.
Kofi unearthed a surprising connection between the two families while studying the archives.
The investigation unearthed serious problems in how the charity managed its funds.
- bring to light
idiomatic; emphasises the transition from unknown to known
- expose
suggests the information is damaging and was being deliberately hidden
- uncover
general term for revealing what was hidden; slightly less effortful than unearth
- ferret out
informal; suggests persistent searching through hard-to-find sources
文法句型
unearth + noun phrase (evidence / documents / truth)
用法筆記
The subject is commonly a journalist, researcher, or investigation. The information discovered is often negative or secretive, such as evidence of corruption or hidden problems.