excavate

verb

1. 1

   remove the inner part or the core of

   the mining company wants to excavate the hillside

2. 2

   form by hollowing

   Carnegie had a lake excavated for Princeton University's rowing team

   excavate a cavity

3. 3

   find by digging in the ground

   I dug up an old box in the garden

4. 4

   recover through digging

   Schliemann excavated Troy

   excavate gold