underˈneath, prep., adv., a., and n.
Forms: 1 underneoðan, -nyðan, 2 -næðen, 4 -neþen, 5 undernethen, -nethyn; 4 underneþe, -nueþe, -neyþe, 4–6 undernethe, -neth, 6– underneath. (Also 4–7 vnder-, 5 vndir-, vndur-, vndyr-, 5–6 undre-, 6 Sc. wndir-).
[OE. underneoðan (f. under prep. and adv. + nethen adv.), = older Da. underneden.]
A. prep.
1. Beneath or below (in local position).
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. iii. ix. 134 Ðær wearð Alexander þurhscoten mid anre flan underneoðan oþer breost. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1070, Hi..namen þa þet fot⁓spure þe wæs undernæðen his fote. c 1375 Cursor M. 2380 (Fairf.), Abraham..come and lendid..vnder-neyþe a faire valay. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xiii. 57 Vnderneth it es a well. c 1450 Lovelich Grail xlvi. 129 Whanne that he say kyng Mordrayn On the Erthe liggen..vnder-nethen here hors feet. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xvi. 362 Vndernethe that castel they sawe a knyghte standynge. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lix. 203 Vnderneth it was the porte. 1591 Spenser Mother Hubberd 1322 The wicked weed..From vnderneath his head he tooke away. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 1116 He..Insconc'd himself as formidable As could be underneath a Table. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 597 If a swarthy Tongue Is underneath his humid Palate hung, Reject him. 1728 Young Love Fame iii. 118 Tho' Phoebus and the nine for ever mow, Rank folly underneath the scythe will grow. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam v. 2185 Underneath thy feet writhe Faith, and Folly, Custom, and Hell, and mortal Melancholy. 1879 S. C. Bartlett Egypt to Pal. xx. 436 The immense quarries directly underneath the city. |
b. fig. Under the form, cover, protection, authority, etc., of (something).
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 258 Bot undernethe such a jape He hath so for himselve schape, That [etc.]. a 1470 Harding Chron. Pref. (1812) p. vii, Vndirnethe ȝoure fadirs magnificence He durste nought so haue lette hys righte fall doun. 1495 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 465/1 Dyvers Leesses..hath be made..undrenethe the Seales in these parties of old tyme used. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 437 Whether Christ is to be worshipped vnder the forme of bread and wine, whether Christ be wholly vnderneath either kinde. 1845 Maurice Mor. Philos. in Encycl. Metrop. II. 627/1 The truths which lay underneath its false worship. |
2. In subordination or subjection to; under the power or control of.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 475 Schir amery..That wes vardane of þe land Vnder-neth þe Ynglis kyng. c 1440 Alph. Tales 88 A virtuos man..had vndernethe his gouernance in a monasterie ccc wommen. Ibid. 514 He had many servandis vnder-nethe hym. 1538 Bale God's Promises ii, Beynge thy subject, he is undreneth thy cure, Correct hym thu mayest. 1546 Yorks. Chantry Surv. (Surtees) 348 The chantor..hath a vicare indowyd underneth hym. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. iv. 10 Till these Rebels..Come vnderneath the yoake of Gouernment. 1651 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xxvii. 205 A man underneath many Passions, but above fear. 1667 Dryden & Davenant Tempest iii. iii, When underneath my power my foes have truckl'd. 1822 Shelley tr. Calderon's Mag. Prodig. ii. 34 Philosophy, thou canst not even Compel their causes underneath thy yoke. |
b. Below the level of; inferior to.
| 1587 Golding De Mornay Pref. 6 The least creatures which lie farre vnderneath man. |
† 3. Subject to, under (a condition). Obs.
| c 1440 Alph. Tales 333, I will grawnt þe a plyte of my gown vnder-nethe a condicion, at þou sall not hurte me. |
† 4. Below, less than (in amount.) Obs.
| 1455 Paston Lett. I. 355 Ther can noon be gete here..undrenethe iijs. the yerde at the lowest price. 1528 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 57 Above the somme of vjs, and..under nethe the seyd somme. |
B. adv.
1. Down below; at an underlying or lower point or level.
| c 1000 ælfric Exod. xxix. 12 And þu nymst cealfes blod mid þinum fingre,..and ᵹitst þæt oðer undernyðan. a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 fol. 32 b, So þat þis statut ne portenez noȝt to..grete troen [= trees], ware fore [sic] hit be cler vnder nueþe. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints i. (Peter) 526 Þe hound..schot on symeon..And to þe ȝerde hym vndirnethe Ruschit. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 123 Constantine..made peynte the signe and tokene of þe crosse.., and he made write undirneþe, ‘Þis is þe signe and tokene’ [etc.] c 1400 Destr. Troy 9998 Till the sun in his sercle set vndernethe. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. i. xvii. 27 Wher the watre is lest and most low,..there in trauers ought to be sett a route of folke wel horsed and another in like wyse vndrenethe. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 268 Lyke as they y{supt} wrestleth be somtyme aboue, & somtyme vnderneath. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 24 b, The floore vnderneth was covered with clothe of Arras. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 259 The streetes are..vaulted vnderneath for the conueiance of the sulledge. 1657 R. Ligon Barbadoes 43 Leaving it hollow underneath for Ventiducts. 1747 Wesley Prim. Physick (1762) 118 If they heal too soon, and a Matter gather underneath. 1791 Cowper Odyss. xix. 552 So thick it was, and underneath, the ground With litter of dry foliage strew'd profuse. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. c, I climb the hill: from end to end Of all the landscape underneath [etc.]. 1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. i. 232 The lines of light converged by the ripples upon the sand underneath. |
| fig. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. v. (1868) 75 Ryȝt on þat same side nounpower entriþ vndirneþ þat makeþ hem wreches. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 232 Bot undernethe he was bethoght In what manere he mihte aspie Achilles fro Deïdamie. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xi. (Percy Soc.) 40 In an example..the poetes do wryte; And underneth the trouth doth so shroude. 1659 Milton Lett. Ruptures Commonw. Wks. 1851 V. 404 If such a Union as this be not accepted on the Army's part, be confident there is a single Person underneath. 1674 Campion Art Descant i. 4 A fourth above is the same that a fifth is underneath, and a fourth underneath is as a fifth above. |
b. Below or beneath other clothing.
| c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. 5 A man that clothed was in clothes blake And vnder-nethe he wered a white surplys. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 695 Ȝif he haue vnder-neþen whijt, þanne he aboue wereþ Blak. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. ix. 10 On his backe [was] an vncouth vestiment,..And vnderneath his breech was all to torne. 1856 tr. Vehse's Mem. Court of Austria I. 124 He wore a suit of black armour,..and underneath a shirt of close mail. |
c. Lower down on a sheet of paper, etc.
| 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 3 Eche of hem had sworen on þe bok to perfourme þe pointz vndernethe wryten. c 1550 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Mary (1914) 250 Certayne sutes of apparell as be heare vndernethe mentyoned. a 1577 Sir T. Smith Commw. ii. xxv. (1589) 102 He..deliuereth vp the examination which he tooke of him, and vnderneath the names of those whom he hath bound to giue euidence. 1653 W. Ramesey Astrol. Restored 106 On the head of the fourth column you find magnitude, intimating that by the Figures underneath..is shewn the magnitude of each star. 1743 W. Emerson Fluxions 33 Then I take the Sum of the Terms..and set this Sum..underneath. |
2. On the under side.
| 1776 Withering Bot. Arr. Vegetables I. 697 Leaves..with little scales and fringed appendages underneath. 1812 New Bot. Garden i. 7 The leaves..not shining or hoary underneath. 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. i. 442 They come Blackening the birth of day with countless wings, And hollow underneath, like death. |
C. adj.
1. Underhand; secret. rare.
| 1747 Mem. Nutrebian Crt. II. 118 This..causes him to determine, by a sly, underneath cunning, to work that virtuous youth ruin. 1899 in Eng. Dial. Dict. (Leeds dial.). |
2. Situated below.
| 1894 Daily News 9 Mar. 5/4 In an underneath room, printers..will be seen printing some..newspapers. |
D. n. That which is in the lowest place; the under part or side.
| 1676 Moxon Print Lett. 33 You must make up the Top and Underneath with straight lines. 1855 tr. Labarte's Arts Mid. Ages viii. 310 The underneath of his dishes. 1887 Ruskin Præterita II. 159 For all other rivers there is a surface, and an underneath. 1889 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Thro' Long Night II. 215 She read the underneath of the cards. |