Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

Deeves Hall. Cf. Divelond , Dyvelond 1485Ct , Dives 1623 ib.The same element is found in Deeve Wood in Essendon infra 225. For this name we must compare (to þære ) defe , (of þære ) defe in the bounds of Oxhey and Batchworth (infra 106, n. 2). Deeves Hall and Deeve Wood are both in well-marked valleys near their head. Unluckily it is impossible to identify with any certainty (cf. infra 106, n. 2) the site of the defe in the OE charter. The word is not otherwise on record in OE. It would seem to be related to Norw djuv , 'hollow' (Torp s. v .) and Ger Tobel , 'wald-, berg-schlucht' (Kluge s. v .), all three being related to OE  dūfan , 'to dive.' From the Germanic *deuba or *dauba grade a derivative dīef might have been formed, denoting a deep or hollow place, but, as Dr Ritter notes for us, this should appear in the Crawford text as diefe or dyfe rather than defe . For any certainty in the solution of this problem we need further material than we have at present.