diving head first

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   Jumping or going into water with your head entering before your feet.

   Grammar: Used after verbs like go, dive, jump: go diving head first.

   Patterns

   • go diving head first
   • dive head first into something

   He climbed onto the rock and went diving head first into the sea.

   The children were warned not to go diving head first into the shallow end.

   She learned that diving head first can be dangerous if the water is not deep enough.

2. 2phrasefixed phrasefigurative

   Starting something new or difficult with great enthusiasm and no hesitation.

   Grammar: Figurative use; often followed by into plus a noun: dive head first into a project.

   Patterns

   • dive head first into something
   • go head first into something

   After graduation she dived head first into her new job.

   He tends to go head first into every new hobby and then lose interest.

Common combinations

go diving head first

The instructor told us never to go diving head first into water we could not see through.

dive head first into something

She dived head first into the world of online business.

head first into the water

He jumped head first into the water without checking the depth.

a head first dive

A head first dive from that height takes real nerve.

Synonyms and how they differ

headlong

Headlong also means moving with the head leading, but it is more often used for falls or rushing forward on land.

headfirst

This is simply the one-word spelling of the same idea and is used in both the literal and figurative senses.

Opposites

Word family

dive verb

To jump into water, usually with your arms and head leading.

diver noun

A person who dives, especially as a sport or job.

Commonly confused: diving head first or head first?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “diving head first”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words