under

See also: ûnder and under-

English

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
Proto-Indo-European *-tér
Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér
Proto-Indo-European *h₂én
Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi
?
Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí
Proto-Indo-European *-ér
Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér
Proto-Germanic *under
Proto-West Germanic *undar
Old English under
Middle English under
English under

    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”).

    Cognate with German unter, Dutch onder, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish under, Faroese and Icelandic undir; also Old High German untar (“under”), Sanskrit अन्तर् (antar, “within”), Latin infrā (“below, beneath”) and inter (“between, among”).

    Pronunciation

    Preposition

    under

    A green pepper under (sense 1) a box
    1. Beneath; below; at or to the bottom of, or the area covered or surmounted by.
      We found some shade under a tree.
      Quick, stuff the cash under the mattress!
      There is nothing new under the sun.
      There is an oil leak under the car.
      1. Below the surface of.
    2. From one side of to the other, passing beneath.
      I crawled under the fence.
      There is a tunnel under the English Channel.
    3. Less than.
      Interest rates are now under 1%.
      We can get there in under an hour.
      • 2026, Kevin Dupzyk, “The Semi-Complete User's Guide to Your Prostate”, in Men's Health, volume 41, number 2, page 21:
        If you're under age 55 or so, urinary symptoms may be the result of inflammation of the prostate, called prostatitis.
    4. Subject to.
      We were constantly under bombardment.
      I can't live under these circumstances.
      The matter is under investigation.
      1. Subordinate to; subject to the control of; in accordance with; in compliance with.
        He served in World War II under General Omar Bradley.
        During the pandemic, we had to live under severe restrictions.
        Under the law and concession agreement with other parties, the private company must pay taxes in time and on a right amount.
        • 1987, Arthur C. Hasiotis, Jr., Soviet Political, Economic, and Military Involvement in Sinkiang from 1928 to 1949‎[2], Garland Publishing, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 62:
          There is general agreement that his military forces were organized into six divisions. They were stationed at the following places: at Ti-hua under the command of Liu Hsi-tsen, at T'a-ch'eng under Chiang Sung-lin, at Ili under Niu Shih, at A-shan under Wei Chen-kuo, at A-k'o-su under Chang Tzu-t'ing, and at Ko-shih-ko-erh (Kashgar) nominally under Tsou-ying, but in reality under Chin's brother, Chin Shu-chih.
        • 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎[3], archived from the original on 18 January 2016:
          He was then denied by a magnificent tackle from captain Terry as Liverpool continued to press - but Chelsea survived as the memories of the nightmare under Villas-Boas faded even further into the background.
        • 2011 December 14, Angelique Chrisafis, “Rachida Dati accuses French PM of sexism and elitism”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎[4], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 October 2026:
          Dati launched a blistering attack on the prime minister, François Fillon, under whom she served as justice minister, accusing him of sexism, elitism, arrogance and hindering the political advancement of ethnic minorities.
    5. Within the category, classification or heading of.
      • 1965 January 13, Lou Sullivan, Diary:
        I talked Mom into letting me drop out of Girl Scouts and the Marian [redacted]. Let's just put that under "Unsuccessful Challenge."
      File this under "i" for "ignore".
    6. (figuratively) In the face of; in response to (some attacking force).
      • 2011, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France”, in news.bbc.co.uk‎[5]:
        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.
      to collapse under stress; to give in under interrogation
    7. Using or adopting (a name, identity, etc.).
      • 2013, The Huffington Post, “JK Rowling Pseudonym: Robert Galbraith's 'The Cuckoo's Calling' Is Actually By Harry Potter Author”, in huffingtonpost.com‎[6]:
        J.K. Rowling has written a crime novel called 'The Cuckoo's Calling' under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
      He writes books under the name John Smith.
      She now lives under a new identity.

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

    Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Adverb

    under (not comparable)

    1. In or to a lower or subordinate position, or a position beneath or below something, physically or figuratively.
      pulled under by the currents
      weighed under by worry
    2. So as to pass beneath something.
      There's quite a gap, so you may be able to sneak under.
    3. (usually in compounds) Less than what is necessary to be adequate or suitable; insufficient.
      The plants were underwatered.
      Women are under-represented.
    4. (informal) In or into an unconscious state.
      It took the hypnotist several minutes to make his subject go under.
    5. Down to defeat, ruin, or death.
      The COVID-19 epidemic and shutdown took some businesses under.
      Big-box store and online retailing have driven many specialty and local retail stores under.

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

    Translations

    Adjective

    under (comparative more under, superlative most under)

    1. Lower; beneath something.
      This treatment protects the under portion of the car from rust.
      (in compounds) underbelly, underside, undershirt, undersecretary
      • 1835, J G. Peters, A treatise on equitation, or the art of horsemanship, page 179:
        The advantages he gains are of double security to him ; first, by the support of his haunches, being at all times more under than before, he learns to be more active with his hind-quarters
      • 1908, Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, The American golfer, volumes 1-2, page 10:
        If you allow the right hand to turn under more than the left, a pull will result, and if the left is more under than the right, a sliced ball will surely follow.
      • 2009, Doris Lessing, Briefing for a Descent Into Hell, page 30:
        The waves are so steep, they crash so fast and furious I'm more under than up.
    2. In a state of subordination, submission or defeat.
      The army could not keep the people under.
      • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians ix:27:
        I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.
      • 1892, Sir George Giffard, Reminiscences of a Naval Officer, page 45:
        When ready for sea we went up to Greenhithe, that their lordships might inspect us, and then to Portsmouth, to take troops to Cork, a pleasant trip; but the troops left us a legacy of "mahogany flats," with which their beds were so swarming that we never got them under.
    3. (medicine, colloquial) Under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated.
      Ensure the patient is sufficiently under.
      • 1968, Agatha Young, chapter 44, in I Swear by Apollo, New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 461:
        To the anesthetist Moynihan said, “Have a look down the hall, will you, and see if the nurse has the bed ready. And leave the doors open when you come back so we can carry him through. Send anybody but the nurse away. Then come back and give us a hand with him. Not that he’s so heavy . . .” And then to Matthew, “He’s so far under I’m going to wait a bit for the hypo.”
      • 2007, John Likides, chapter 14, in Infinite Sustain, [Philadelphia, Pa.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 225:
        She can’t hear us. She’s so far under, that her sensory receptors aren’t working. Her brain regions that regulate waking consciousness and dreaming are shut down. No electrical activity. Only numbness and forgetting.
      • 2009, John W. Mangum, chapter 9, in Full Circle: 360°’s of Life, Sonoita, Ariz.: Running Iron Press, →ISBN, page 83:
        “Sam, can we see Pop now?” “Sure Kathy, but he’s been sedated and he’s on morphine to control the pain. He won’t be coherent and he might not recognize any of us.” […] “Dad, we’re here. We came to see you.” There was no response. “Pop, we’re here to see you.” “I guess he’s too far under to recognize us. […]”
    4. (informal) Having a particular property that is low, especially so as to be insufficient or lacking in a particular respect.
      This chicken is a bit under. (insufficiently cooked)
      This bag of apples feels under. (of insufficient weight)
      My pay packet last week was £10 under. (of insufficient monetary amount)
      My round of golf today was three under. (under par)

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from under (all parts of speech)
    See also under-

    Noun

    under (plural unders)

    1. The amount by which an actual total is less than the expected or required amount.
      • 2008, G. Puttick, Sandy van Esch, The Principles and Practice of Auditing, page 609:
        […] standard cash count forms used to record the count and any overs or unders.
    2. (informal) Something having a particular property that is low or too low.
      I went fishing but caught nothing but unders. (undersized fish)
      Usually I am at least ten over on that course, but I have shot a couple of unders. (under-par rounds of golf)
    3. (gambling) A bet that a particular sporting statistic, such as points scored in a game, will be below a certain stated value.

    References

    Anagrams

    Chinese

    Etymology 1

    Clipping of English underwear.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    under

    1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) underwear (Classifier: 條／条 c)

    References

    Etymology 2

    From English under.

    Pronunciation

    Verb

    under

    1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to be under; to be subordinate to
      • 2019 June 10, 梁智勇 [Leung Chi Yung, Ronald], “2019年6月10日的聆訊紀錄本 [Transcript of the Hearing held on 10 June 2019]”, in 沙田至中環線項目紅磡站擴建部分及其鄰近的建造工程調查委員會 (前稱沙田至中環線項目紅磡站擴建部分的連續牆及月台層板建造工程調查委員會) [Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project (formerly Commission of Inquiry into the Diaphragm Wall and Platform Slab Construction Works at the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project)]‎[7], page 6:
        我記憶中，Alan Yeung冇under過我。 [Cantonese, trad.]
        我记忆中，Alan Yeung冇under过我。 [Cantonese, simp.]
        ngo5 gei3 jik1 zung1, Alan Yeung mou5 an1 daa4 gwo3 ngo5. [Jyutping]
        In my memory, Alan Yeung has never worked under me.
    2. (Hong Kong Cantonese, photography) to underexpose

    Danish

    Etymology 1

    From Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under, cognate with English under, German unter.

    Alternative forms

    • u. (abbreviation)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /on(ˀ)ər/, [ɔnɐ], [ɔnˀɐ] or (as an adverb or at the end of a phrase) IPA(key): /onˀər/, [ˈɔnˀɐ]

    Preposition

    under

    1. under
    2. underneath
    3. below
    4. during

    Adverb

    under

    1. under

    Etymology 2

    From Old Norse undr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą, cognate with English wonder, German Wunder.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /onˀər/, [ˈɔnˀɐ]

    Noun

    under n (singular definite underet, plural indefinite undere)

    1. wonder
    2. marvel
    3. miracle
    Inflection
    Declension of under
    neuter
    gender     		singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative under underet undere underne
    genitive unders underets underes undernes

    Etymology 3

    Clipping of underdel or underside.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /onər/, [ˈɔnɐ]

    Noun

    under c (singular definite underen, plural indefinite undere)

    1. bottom (part)
    Declension
    Declension of under
    common
    gender     		singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative under underen undere underne
    genitive unders underens underes undernes

    Etymology 4

    See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /onər/, [ˈɔnɐ]

    Verb

    under

    1. present tense of unde

    Latin

    Verb

    under

    1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of undō

    Middle English

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    Etymology tree
    Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
    Proto-Indo-European *-tér
    Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér
    Proto-Indo-European *h₂én
    Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi
    ?
    Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí
    Proto-Indo-European *-ér
    Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér
    Proto-Germanic *under
    Proto-West Germanic *undar
    Old English under
    Middle English under

      From Old English under, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under.

      Preposition

      under

      1. under
      2. among

      Descendants

      • English: under
      • Scots: unner
      • Yola: unnere

      References

      Norwegian Bokmål

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈʉ̂nːəɾ/, /ˈʉ̂ndəɾ/
      • Predominantly silent d in the preposition, pronounced /d/ in the noun; but individual speakers may deviate.

      Etymology 1

      From Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under.

      Preposition

      under

      1. below; beneath
      2. during
      3. under
      Derived terms

      Etymology 2

      From Old Norse undr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą, from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to wish for, desire, strive for, win, love”).

      Noun

      under n (definite singular underet or undret, indefinite plural under or undere or undre, definite plural undera or underne or undra or undrene)

      1. wonder, marvel, miracle
      Derived terms

      References

      Norwegian Nynorsk

      Alternative forms

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈʉndər/

      Etymology 1

      From Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under. Akin to English under.

      Preposition

      under

      1. below, beneath, under
      2. during
      Derived terms

      Etymology 2

      From Old Norse undr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą, from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to wish for, desire, strive for, win, love”). Akin to English wonder.

      Noun

      under n (definite singular underet, indefinite plural under, definite plural undera)

      1. wonder, marvel, miracle
      Derived terms

      References

      Old Dutch

      Etymology

      From Proto-West Germanic *undar

      Preposition

      under

      1. under

      References

      Old English

      Etymology

      Etymology tree
      Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
      Proto-Indo-European *-tér
      Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér
      Proto-Indo-European *h₂én
      Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi
      ?
      Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí
      Proto-Indo-European *-ér
      Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér
      Proto-Germanic *under
      Proto-West Germanic *undar
      Old English under

        From Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under. Compare Old Saxon undar, Old High German untar.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈun.der/

        Preposition

        under [with dative (indicating location) or accusative (indicating movement)]

        1. under; beneath
          • 10th century, The Wanderer:
            Hwǣr cōm mearg? Hwǣr cōm mago? · Hwǣr cōm māþþumġyfa?
            Hwǣr cōm symbla ġesetu? · Hwǣr sindon seledrēamas?
            Ēalā beorht bune! · Ēalā byrnwiga!
            Ēalā þēodnes þrym! · Hū sēo þrāg ġewāt,
            ġenāp under nihthelm, · swā hēo nō wære.
            Whither did the horse come? Whither did the man come? Whither did the treasure-giver come?
            Whither did the seats of feasts come? Where are the hall-joys?
            Alack and alas, bright cup! Alack and alas, mailed warrior!
            Alack and alas, the army of the king! How did the time pass,
            grow dark under the cover of night, as if it never did.
        2. among

        Descendants

        Old Swedish

        Etymology

        From Old Norse undr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą.

        Noun

        under n

        1. wonder, miracle
        2. wonderment, awe, marvel

        Declension

        The template Template:gmq-osw-decl-noun-a-n does not use the parameter(s): 
        gen_sg=unders
nom_pl=under
acc_pl=under
nom_sg=under
acc_sg=under
        Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.

        Declension of undr (strong a-stem)
        neuter singular plural
        indefinite definite indefinite definite
        nominative undr undrit undr undrin
        accusative undr undrit undr undrin
        dative undri, undre undrinu, undreno undrum, undrom undrumin, undromen
        genitive undrs undrsins undra undranna

        Descendants

        Swedish

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈɵndɛr/[1]
        • Audio:(file)

        Etymology 1

          From Old Swedish undir, from Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under.

          Preposition

          under

          1. under; below; beneath
          2. during, at the same time as
            Under lektionen pratade de hela tiden.
            During the lesson, they talked all the time.

          Etymology 2

          From Old Swedish under, from Old Norse undr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą, from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to wish for, desire, strive for, win, love”).

          Noun

          under n

          1. wonder, miracle
            Undrens tid är inte förbi.
            The age of miracles isn't over.
          Declension
          Declension of under
          nominative genitive
          singular indefinite under unders
          definite undret undrets
          plural indefinite under unders
          definite undren undrens
          Derived terms

          See also

          References

          1. ^ “under”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy]‎[1] (in Swedish), 1898–2023

          Anagrams

          This page is issued from Wiktionary. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.