under

Study(29)

/ˈʌndə/

prep 5adv 5adj 4noun 3

Collocations

ADJ.

big, dark, fat, heavy, light, new, proud, sure

The heavy box under the stairs has been there since we moved in.

VERB + UNDER

accept, act, appeared, band, books, bridge, cash, coming

The refugees had to accept difficult conditions under the bridge while waiting for shelter.

UNDER + NOUN

baton, condition, currents, desk, discussion, leadership, lee, mattress

The project is currently under discussion between the two departments.

PREP.

down, from, on

The old bridge had water flowing under it from the mountain stream.

ADV.

marvellously, only

The old bridge held up marvellously well even though it had been underwater for years.

Definitions

prep

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!

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

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

From one side of to the other, passing beneath.

I crawled under the fence.

There is a tunnel under the English Channel.

Less than.

Interest rates are now under 1%.

We can get there in under an hour.

Subject to.

We were constantly under bombardment.

I can't live under these circumstances.

adv

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

So as to pass beneath something.

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

Less than what is necessary to be adequate or suitable; insufficient.

The plants were underwatered.

Women are under-represented.

In or into an unconscious state.

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

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.

adj

Lower; beneath something.

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

(in compounds) underbelly, underside, undershirt, undersecretary

In a state of subordination, submission or defeat.

The army could not keep the people under.

I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.

Under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated.

Ensure the patient is sufficiently under.

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)

Thesaurus

Synonyms

adjective — located below or beneath something else

nether

adverb — further down

below

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

light a fire under

To motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.

Let me see if I can light a fire under the waiter to get our order sooner.

under one's thumb

Completely controlled by someone; at someone's command.

She has the entire crew under her thumb. They would do anything for her.

under someone's nose

directly in front of one; clearly visible

I searched for my glasses for twenty minutes, and finally found them right under my nose.

under way

In operation, in progress, commenced.

A dearth of signalmen and the high cost of labour is hastening an elimination process that already was well under way before the second world war.

under the wire

Across the finish line.

Lying forward flattened along Sunfish's hard-muscled shoulders, Bud was gaining and gaining—one length, then two lengths as he shot under the wire, slowed and rode back to find a s

Example Bank

We found some shade under a tree.

Wiktionary

Quick, stuff the cash under the mattress!

Wiktionary

There is nothing new under the sun.

Wiktionary

pulled under by the currents

Wiktionary

weighed under by worry

Wiktionary

The minstrel fell, but the foeman's chain / Could not bring his proud soul under.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, under is marked as informal, colloquial. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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