dig out: dig somebody/something out (of something) 1 to remove somebody/something from somewhere by digging the ground around them or itMore than a dozen people were dug out of the avalanche alive. 2 to find something that has been hidden or forgotten for a long timeI went to the attic and dug out Grandad's medals. dig up: dig something up 1 to break the ground into small pieces before planting seeds, building something, etcThey are digging up the football field to lay a new surface. 2 to remove something from the ground by diggingAn old Roman vase was dug up here last month. 3 to discover information about somebody/something Tabloid newspapers love to dig up scandal. **reference:www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Dig up means to unearth something. Archaeologists dig up clues about the past. In politics, dig up means to find out nasty things about an opponent. "Try to dig up some dirt about my opponent." Think of "dig out" as having to get out of a tough situation. "People are still trying to dig out from the latest snow storm." "I must dig myself out of this mess."