掘ほり返かえす

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

dig up; turn over; tear up

Physical action of digging and turning over soil, ground, or buried objects. Often implies thorough or disruptive digging.

• 庭にわを掘ほり返かえして畑はたけにした。

  I dug up the garden and turned it into a vegetable patch.

• 道どう路ろ工こう事じで歩ほ道どうが掘ほり返かえされている。

  The sidewalk is being torn up due to road construction.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

rake up; dig up; unearth

Figurative use: bringing old, often unpleasant matters back to light, such as scandals or past mistakes.

• 週しゅう刊かん誌しが政せい治じ家かの過か去このスキャンダルを掘ほり返かえした。

  The weekly magazine dug up a past scandal involving the politician.

• もう終おわった話はなしを掘ほり返かえすのはやめてくれ。

  Stop raking up things that are already over.