▪ I. ˈunderline, n.
[under-1 5 b, c.]
1. The line of the lower part of the body (of an animal).
| 1886 C. Scott Sheep-farming 173 The back should be level and evenly covered with meat,..the underline straight. 1899 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. Mar. 18 Her back and underline were nearly parallel. |
2. a. A line drawn below words printed or written. b. pl. A set of ruled guiding-lines placed under paper that is being written on.
| 1888 E. M. Gallaudet Life T. M. Gallaudet 23 It is written on unruled paper, with a most careful regard for lines and margins, suggesting the use of underlines. |
3. A line at the bottom of a play-bill announcing the piece to be performed next.
| 1891 Cent. Dict. s.v. |
4. The caption or text beneath a picture, esp. in a book, newspaper, etc.
| 1924 N. J. Radder Newspaper Make-Up & Headlines vi. 109 Practice varies with respect to the underline below the cut... When the underline is brief it is much like the second deck of a headline and the copyreader must..avoid repetition of words..in the overline. 1947 A. E. Davies in J. G. Herzberg Late City Edition xxii. 206 The editor writes captions to run above the picture, and the more detailed underlines to run below them. 1956 H. Williamson Methods Bk. Design p. xiii, In order to simplify the text pages, the underlines of the illustrations refer only to the specific points which are illustrated. 1971 Baskette & Sissors Art of Editing x. 203 Picture texts are known by many names—cutlines, captions, underlines (or overlines), legends. |
▪ II. † ˈunderline
obs. var. underling a. 1.
| 1750 Ellis Country Housew. 2 Such Underline small Kernels make more Bran and less Flower than better Wheat does. Ibid., The Underline or Blighted, or other Wheat Ears. |
▪ III. underˈline, v.1
[under-1 4 a + line v.1]
trans. To furnish with an underlining; to form an underlining to. Also fig.
| 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 8 This ryme vnderlyneth all the hole cauyte,..or amplytude of the belly. a 1639 Wotton Reliq. (1651) 86 By a meer chance, in appearance, though under-lined with a providence, they had a full sight of the Queen Infanta. 1834 F. Wrangham Homerics 9 So quick his raft Ulysses made; And floor'd the deck, by spars combined, And with long battens under-lined. |
▪ IV. underˈline, v.2
[under-1 4 a + line v.2 Cf. Du. onderlijnen.]
1. a. trans. To mark (words, etc.) with a line or lines drawn underneath; to underscore. (Cf. italicize v.)
| 1721 Strype Eccl. Mem. (1822) II. xi. 579 There is also another memorial..with lines drawn under many of the words and sentences, and a note of Secretary Cecyl's hand, that what was so underlined was to be put in cypher. 1771 Luckombe Hist. Print. 361 A Proof sheet printed Black, with the words to be printed Red under lined. 1856 Dickens Lett. (1880) I. 423, I find myself underlining words constantly. 1901 Athenæum 24 July 119/1 Titles of books are printed in italics, though not underlined in the MS. |
b. fig. To emphasize, esp. in utterance.
| 1880 Times 10 Nov. 9/1 A passage that was not intended by the speaker to refer to Ireland..was seized upon and underlined by an appreciative audience. 1887 Daily News 15 Nov. 5/7 Madame Chaumont's tendency to ‘underline’ everything..is certainly no less apparent now than it was in former years. |
2. To announce (a play) by an underline.
| 1825 P. Egan Life of Actor ii. 67 A file of old play bills which might do to bind, With only the play for next night—underlined. 1838 Actors by Daylight I. 5 A new burletta is underlined for this week. 1895 Funk's Stand. Dict. s.v., Faust is underlined for Thursday. 1900 Westm. Gaz. 27 Oct. 1 Mr. Stephen Phillips's historical play..is underlined for production. |
Hence ˈunderlined ppl. a.
| 1866 Meredith Vittoria xxvii, He wrote a few underlined words entreating Vittoria to grant an immediate interview. 1888 H. Morten Sk. Hosp. Life 35 An underlined note of warning. |