Under

//ˈʌndə// adj, adv, noun, prep, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Lower; beneath something.

    "This treatment protects the under portion of the car from rust."

  2. 2
    In a state of subordination, submission or defeat.

    "The army could not keep the people under."

  3. 3
    Under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated. colloquial

    "Ensure the patient is sufficiently under."

  4. 4
    Having a particular property that is low, especially so as to be insufficient or lacking in a particular respect. informal

    "This chicken is a bit under. (insufficiently cooked)"

Adjective
  1. 1
    lower in rank, power, or authority wordnet
  2. 2
    located below or beneath something else wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    In or to a lower or subordinate position, or a position beneath or below something, physically or figuratively. not-comparable

    "pulled under by the currents"

  2. 2
    So as to pass beneath something. not-comparable

    "There's quite a gap, so you may be able to sneak under."

  3. 3
    Less than what is necessary to be adequate or suitable; insufficient. in-compounds, not-comparable, usually

    "The plants were underwatered."

  4. 4
    In or into an unconscious state. informal, not-comparable

    "It took the hypnotist several minutes to make his subject go under."

  5. 5
    Down to defeat, ruin, or death. not-comparable

    "The COVID-19 epidemic and shutdown took some businesses under."

Adverb
  1. 1
    further down wordnet
  2. 2
    down below wordnet
  3. 3
    below the horizon wordnet
  4. 4
    below some quantity or limit wordnet
  5. 5
    in or into a state of subordination or subjugation wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    down to defeat, death, or ruin wordnet
  2. 7
    into unconsciousness wordnet
  3. 8
    through a range downward wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    The amount by which an actual total is less than the expected or required amount.

    "[…] standard cash count forms used to record the count and any overs or unders."

  2. 2
    Something having a particular property that is low or too low. informal

    "I went fishing but caught nothing but unders."

  3. 3
    A bet that a particular sporting statistic, such as points scored in a game, will be below a certain stated value.
Preposition
  1. 1
    Beneath; below; at or to the bottom of, or the area covered or surmounted by.

    "We found some shade under a tree."

  2. 2
    Beneath; below; at or to the bottom of, or the area covered or surmounted by.; Below the surface of.

    "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants!"

  3. 3
    From one side of to the other, passing beneath.

    "I crawled under the fence."

  4. 4
    Less than.

    "Interest rates are now under 1%."

  5. 5
    Subject to.

    "We were constantly under bombardment."

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    Subject to.; Subordinate to; subject to the control of; in accordance with; in compliance with.

    "He served in World War II under General Omar Bradley."

  2. 7
    Within the category, classification or heading of.

    "File this under "i" for "ignore"."

  3. 8
    In the face of; in response to (some attacking force). figuratively

    "England's World Cup dreams fell apart under a French onslaught on a night when their shortcomings were brutally exposed at the quarter-final stage."

  4. 9
    Using or adopting (a name, identity, etc.).

    "J.K. Rowling has written a crime novel called 'The Cuckoo's Calling' under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under, from a merger of Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér (“under”) and *h₁entér (“inside”). Akin to German unter, Dutch onder, Danish and Norwegian under; also Old High German untar (“under”), Sanskrit अन्तर् (antar, “within”), Latin infrā (“below, beneath”) and inter (“between, among”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under, from a merger of Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér (“under”) and *h₁entér (“inside”). Akin to German unter, Dutch onder, Danish and Norwegian under; also Old High German untar (“under”), Sanskrit अन्तर् (antar, “within”), Latin infrā (“below, beneath”) and inter (“between, among”).

Etymology 3

From Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under, from a merger of Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér (“under”) and *h₁entér (“inside”). Akin to German unter, Dutch onder, Danish and Norwegian under; also Old High German untar (“under”), Sanskrit अन्तर् (antar, “within”), Latin infrā (“below, beneath”) and inter (“between, among”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under, from a merger of Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér (“under”) and *h₁entér (“inside”). Akin to German unter, Dutch onder, Danish and Norwegian under; also Old High German untar (“under”), Sanskrit अन्तर् (antar, “within”), Latin infrā (“below, beneath”) and inter (“between, among”).

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