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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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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