I. |əndə(r) adverb
Etymology: Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English; akin to Old High German untar, adverb & preposition, under, Old Norse undir, adverb & preposition, Gothic undar, preposition, under, Latin infra below, underneath, inferus low, situated beneath, Sanskrit adha below
1. : further down or along in a writing
see under for further discussion
2.
a. : in or into a position below or beneath something
wears a girdle under
: down below
get under quick
b. : below the surface of the water
a gust put the lee deck under — Nelson Hayes
c. : below the horizon
sun went under an hour ago
3. : below some quantity or limit
ten dollars or under
— often used in combination
under bid
under ripe
under staffed
4. : in or into a condition of subjection, regulation, or subordination
kept his disappointment under
I keep my body under — 1 Cor 9:27 (Authorized Version)
5.
a. : down to defeat, ruin, or death
weaker competitors will be forced under
b. : into unconsciousness
enough ether to put him under
c. : so as to be overwhelmed : out of sight
buried under by the avalanche
snowed under in the election
6. : through a range downward
children of eight and under
II. preposition
Etymology: Middle English — more at under I
1.
a. : during the ascendancy of
born under a lucky star
b. : lower than and overhung by : having directly overhead
every place under the sun
under tropical skies
2. : in the shelter of
living under the same roof
huddled under the tree
at anchor close under the island
crawled out from under the bed
under the lee of the bank
3. : using for concealment
fled under cover of darkness
entered the house under the pretext of asking for directions
4. : at the foot of
cottage nestling under the hill
encamped under the town walls
in this little combe under the Downs — T.W.Sharp
5.
a. : below or beneath so as to be covered or enveloped or concealed
sleeping under blankets
wore a sweater under his jacket
a kind heart under a gruff manner
mailed under separate cover
b. : below the surface of
diving under water
burrowing under the earth
6.
a. : below so as to support or carry
with a good horse under him
put runners under a sleigh
put jacks under a beam
b. : topped or crowned with
under a huge periwig
: surmounted by
sailing under full canvas
marching under a foreign flag
7. : at a point below and close to
hit him just under the ear
drew a line under the last word
put one number under the other and add them
8.
a. : required by : in accordance with : bound by
under contract to deliver
statement under oath
under the necessity of selling
rights under the law
b. : suffering restriction, restraint, or control by
sent home under guard
ship placed under quarantine
living under strict disciplinary rules
under a system of collective security — A.O.Walfers
c. : in conditions or circumstances of
shocks and strains any language undergoes under rapid diffusion — I.A.Richards
9.
a. : weighed upon or oppressed by
travel under a heavy load
laid under heavy obligation
prohibited under severe penalties
laboring under a misapprehension
collapsed under the intolerable strain of waiting
lawmakers are under conflicting pressures — Wall Street Journal
b. : receiving or undergoing the action or application of : exposed to the effect of
land under irrigation
go under the surgeon's knife
under the influence of a strong emotion
bravery under fire
came under suspicion of theft
stand up under punishment
in London under the bombing — A.N.Whitehead
c. : in process of
under repair
under discussion
under construction
d. : devoted to the cultivation of : planted to
most of the acreage under corn
e. : contained or enclosed by
thousands of acres under fence — American Guide Series: Texas
10.
a. : subject to the bidding or authority of : led by
served under three colonels
b. : during the reign or administration of
extended the empire under the next king
c. : subject to the guidance and instruction of
studied piano under a famous virtuoso
11.
a. : within the grouping or designation of
matters that come under this head
classified under Diptera
b. : having as name or title
traveling under an assumed name
: in the section designated as
looked for it under Minerals
listed under Occupations
c. : attested or warranted by
issued under the royal seal
d. : bearing as signature or indication of authorship
published several works under a pen name
12.
a. : inferior to : falling short of : exceeded by : of, for, or in less than
exempting incomes under four thousand
boys under fifteen
sold under the list price
a mile under four minutes
b. : lower in rank or quality than
hardly speak to anyone under a colonel
c. : lower than or less than the standard or required degree of
while his children are still under age
company was so fearfully under strength — F.V.W.Mason
— often used in combination
this whiskey is considerably under proof
d. : one thirty-second less than
under 1/2 means 15/32
— used on the London stock exchange
13. : next after in a card game
betting under the opener
•
- under ditch
- under night
- under one
- under one's hat
III. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from under (I)
1.
a. : lying below or beneath
gnawed his under lip
— often used in combination
sea's under current
under surfaces of furniture
b. : placed on the ventral side of an animal's body — often used in combination
under parts of fish
c. : facing or protruding downward — often used in combination
under surface of a leaf
2. : enclosed beneath a covering — often used in combination
under layer of a bud
3. : lower in rank or authority : subordinate
under bookkeepers
— often used in combination
under servants of a household
4. : lower than usual, proper, or desired in amount, quality, or degree
under dose of medicine
ready to fill in if the program proves to be under
5. : subdued
keep the musical accompaniment under during the scene
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: under (I)
: something that falls short in amount, quality, length, or duration ; specifically : a broadcast program lasting less than the time allotted for it