excavate in WordNet English dictionary

1. remove the inner part or the core of
   "the mining company wants to excavate the hillside"
   excavate  dig  hollow 
   
2. find by digging in the ground
   "I dug up an old box in the garden"
   excavate  dig up  turn up 
   
3. form by hollowing
   "Carnegie had a lake excavated for Princeton University's rowing team"; "excavate a cavity"
   excavate 
   
4. recover through digging
   "Schliemann excavated Troy"; "excavate gold"
   excavate  unearth