‘Everybody Is Dug In’

[GoodTaste]

Kansas Debates First Post-Roe Vote on Abortion: ‘Everybody Is Dug In’
An election in Kansas next week will provide the first electoral test of Americans’ attitudes on abortion rights since the Supreme Court decision.
It could give the state’s legislature authority to pass new limits or to outlaw the procedure, potentially reshaping abortion access in the central U.S.

Source: NYTimes

I understand ‘Everybody Is Dug In’ as ‘Everybody Is put into the hole and it is hard to escape from it". Am I on the right track?

 

[GoodTaste]

What does dug mean?

 

[emsr2d2]

"Dug" is the past tense of "dig". However, you need to read "dug in" as a phrasal verb. See definitions 2 and 3 HERE.

 

[Tarheel]

@GoodTaste Have you googled "Everybody is dug in"?

 

[jutfrank]

It's a metaphor from trench warfare, where opposing sides entrench positions to prepare for battle. Both sides have invested a lot of time and resources in preparation for the upcoming vote.

“It’s kind of more trench warfare — everybody is dug in on one side or the other,” Mr. Rowland said.

 

[GoodTaste]

@GoodTaste Have you googled "Everybody is dug in"?

I effectively "googled" it - or "Binged" it with Microsoft Bing. I immediately googled it after reading your reply above and found it was not better than the result of Binging, for both listed the entry from Dug in - Idioms by The Free Dictionary.

 

[Tarheel]

@GoodTaste I got better results with "dug in" but not by looking at all that stuff at the the main definition.

The term "google" has become a generic term for "look stuff up on the internet".

Added: One time I saw the definition I was looking for right away, but I've had a hard time reproducing that.

 

[probus]

At least in AnE the meaning has nothing to do with effort expended. It's a metaphor for an unalterable opinion on a controversial subject. People who are dug in will not change their minds despite any arguments or evidence against their opinion.

 

[tedmc]

At least in AnE the meaning has nothing to do with effort expended. It's a metaphor for an unalterable opinion on a controversial subject. People who are dug in will not change their minds despite any arguments or evidence against their opinion.

It is probably to do with digging trenches, so "entrenched" would be similar.

 

[probus]

Yes, dug in and entrenched are synonymous. The digging, however, is entirely imaginary.