Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Under?

\Un"der\, prep. [AS. under, prep. & adv.; akin to OFries. under, OS. undar, D. onder, G. unter, OHG. untar, Icel. undir, Sw. & Dan. under, Goth. undar, L. infra below, inferior lower, Skr. adhas below. [root]201. Cf. {Inferior}.] 1. Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered; lower than; beneath; -- opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the carriage is under cover; a cellar extends under the whole house. Fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into wells under water, will keep long. --Bacon. Be gathered now, ye waters under heaven, Into one place. --Milton. 2. Hence, in many figurative uses which may be classified as follows; (a) Denoting relation to some thing or person that is superior, weighs upon, oppresses, bows down, governs, directs, influences powerfully, or the like, in a relation of subjection, subordination, obligation, liability, or the like; as, to travel under a heavy load; to live under extreme oppression; to have fortitude under the evils of life; to have patience under pain, or under misfortunes; to behave like a Christian under reproaches and injuries; under the pains and penalties of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity. Both Jews and Gentiles . . . are all under sin. --Rom. iii. 9. That led the embattled seraphim to war Under thy conduct. --Milton. Who have their provand Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows For sinking under them. --Shak. (b) Denoting relation to something that exceeds in rank or degree, in number, size, weight, age, or the like; in a relation of the less to the greater, of inferiority, or of falling short. Three sons he dying left under age. --Spenser. Medicines take effect sometimes under, and sometimes above, the natural proportion of their virtue. --Hooker. There are several hundred parishes in England under twenty pounds a year. --Swift. It was too great an honor for any man under a duke. --Addison. Note: Hence, it sometimes means at, with, or for, less than; as, he would not sell the horse under sixty dollars. Several young men could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen conceits. --Swift. (c) Denoting relation to something that comprehends or includes, that represents or designates, that furnishes a cover, pretext, pretense, or the like; as, he betrayed him under the guise of friendship; Morpheus is represented under the figure of a boy asleep. A crew who, under names of old renown . . . abused Fanatic Egypt. --Milton. Mr. Duke may be mentioned under the double capacity of a poet and a divine. --Felton. Under this head may come in the several contests and wars betwixt popes and the secular princes. --C. Leslie. (d) Less specifically, denoting the relation of being subject, of undergoing regard, treatment, or the like; as, a bill under discussion. Abject and lost, lay these, covering the flood, Under amazement of their hideous change. --Milton. {Under arms}. (Mil.) (a) Drawn up fully armed and equipped. (b) Enrolled for military service; as, the state has a million men under arms. {Under canvas}. (a) (Naut.) Moved or propelled by sails; -- said of any vessel with her sail set, but especially of a steamer using her sails only, as distinguished from one under steam. Under steam and canvas signifies that a vessel is using both means of propulsion. (b) (Mil.) Provided with, or sheltered in, tents. {Under fire}, exposed to an enemy's fire; taking part in a battle or general engagement. {Under foot}. See under {Foot}, n. {Under ground}, below the surface of the ground. {Under one's signature}, with one's signature or name subscribed; attested or confirmed by one's signature. Cf. the second Note under {Over}, prep. {Under sail}. (Naut.) (a) With anchor up, and under the influence of sails; moved by sails; in motion. (b) With sails set, though the anchor is down. (c) Same as {Under canvas} (a), above. --Totten. {Under sentence}, having had one's sentence pronounced. {Under the breath}, with low voice; very softly. {Under the lee} (Naut.), to the leeward; as, under the lee of the land. {Under the rose}. See under {Rose}, n. {Under water}, below the surface of the water. {Under way}, or {Under weigh} (Naut.), in a condition to make progress; having started.
\Un"der\, adv. In a lower, subject, or subordinate condition; in subjection; -- used chiefly in a few idiomatic phrases; as, to bring under, to reduce to subjection; to subdue; to keep under, to keep in subjection; to control; to go under, to be unsuccessful; to fail. I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. --1 Cor. ix. 27. The minstrel fell, but the foeman's chain Could not bring his proud soul under. --Moore. Note: Under is often used in composition with a verb to indicate lowness or inferiority in position or degree, in the act named by the verb; as, to underline; to undermine; to underprop.
\Un"der\, a. Lower in position, intensity, rank, or degree; subject; subordinate; -- generally in composition with a noun, and written with or without the hyphen; as, an undercurrent; undertone; underdose; under-garment; underofficer; undersheriff. {Under covert} (Zo["o]l.), one of the feathers situated beneath the bases of the quills in the wings and tail of a bird. See Illust. under {Bird}.