INDEX:
1. under something that is directly above
2. in a lower position or at a lower level than something
3. under the ground or under water
4. under something such as clothes, skin, or paint
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ ABOVE
see also
↑ DOWN
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1. under something that is directly above
▷ under /ˈʌndəʳ/ [preposition]
something that is under something else has that thing directly above it :
▪ The pen fell under the desk.
▪ If there’s no one at home, just shove the letter under the door.
▪ A small dog scampered into the room and dived under the table.
▪ We stood close together under his umbrella, trying to keep dry.
▷ underneath /ˌʌndəʳˈniːθ/ [preposition/adverb]
directly under another object and close to it :
▪ We found your keys in the sofa underneath a cushion.
▪ The cats like to sleep underneath the wood stove when it’s cold.
▪ Sheets of newspaper had been laid underneath the carpet.
▪ A pipe was leaking, so we put a bucket underneath to catch the drips.
▷ beneath /bɪˈniːθ/ [preposition]
directly under something - used especially in formal writing or in literature :
▪ The ship passed beneath the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay.
▪ As he walked across the hall, the boards creaked beneath his feet.
2. in a lower position or at a lower level than something
▷ below /bɪˈləʊ/ [preposition/adverb]
at a lower level :
▪ John lives on the top floor and Julie lives on the floor below.
▪ They looked down from the mountain to the valley far below.
▪ The dog’s leg was broken just below the hip.
▪ Her hair hangs down below her shoulders.
▪ Our pilot spotted two MiG29s flying below us.
▷ beneath /bɪˈniːθ/ [preposition/adverb]
at a lower level than something and often a little in front or to one side of it - used especially in formal writing or in literature :
▪ Beneath the east window of the church stands the great altar.
▪ The army was encamped beneath the castle walls.
▪ They stood on the cliff and gazed down at the raging sea beneath.
3. under the ground or under water
▷ under /ˈʌndəʳ/ [preposition]
▪ It is one of the largest mountain ranges under the Pacific Ocean.
▪ Several of the stolen items were found buried under Mackie’s house.
▪ When the project is finished, most of Boston’s major roads will run under the city.
▷ beneath /bɪˈniːθ/ [preposition]
under - used in formal writing or in literature :
▪ Far beneath the waters of the North Atlantic lies the wreck of the great liner, the Titanic.
▪ Petroleum occurs in natural deposits beneath the surface of the earth.
▷ underground/below ground /ˌʌndəʳˈgraʊnd◂, bɪˌləʊ ˈgraʊnd/ [adverb]
under the ground :
▪ The men work underground for 12 hours a day.
▪ The explosives will be stored below ground in concrete bunkers.
10 metres underground/two miles underground etc
▪ The nuclear waste is buried a half-mile underground.
underground [adjective only before noun]
▪ an underground parking garage
▷ subterranean /ˌsʌbtəˈreɪniən◂/ [adjective only before noun]
below the ground :
▪ A subterranean stream is believed to flow underneath the town.
▪ a subterranean explosion
▪ Electronic sensors have located a huge subterranean cavern in the Sierre Madre mountain range.
▷ underwater/under water /ˌʌndəʳˈwɔːtəʳ◂/ [adverb]
under the water :
▪ I don’t like opening my eyes underwater.
▪ a camera specially designed for use under water
▪ On land the seal is a clumsy creature, but underwater it moves with grace and agility.
underwater [adjective only before noun]
▪ The research is done in underwater laboratories, so that scientists can study the creatures in their natural habitat.
▷ submerged /səbˈmɜːʳdʒd/ [adjective]
just under the surface of the water :
▪ The boat hit a submerged rock.
▪ Sometimes at low tide you can just see the submerged wreck of a large ship.
partially/partly submerged
▪ The flight recorder was found smashed and partially submerged in a creek nearby.
4. under something such as clothes, skin, or paint
▷ under/underneath /ˈʌndəʳ, ˌʌndəʳˈniːθ/ [preposition]
▪ I was wearing a thick sweater under my coat, but I was still cold.
▪ Scabies is a disease caused by a tiny insect that lays its eggs just underneath the skin.
underneath [adverb]
▪ Padding prevents the rug’s color from seeping through onto the floor underneath.
▷ beneath /bɪˈniːθ/ [preposition]
under a layer of something - used in formal writing or in literature :
▪ The boy lay trembling beneath the bedclothes.
▪ The inscription was hidden beneath a layer of dirt and grime.