underprep/ˈʌndə/

• 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!
• 2

  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!
• 3

  From one side of to the other, passing beneath.

  • I crawled under the fence.
  • There is a tunnel under the English Channel.
• 4

  Less than.

  • Interest rates are now under 1%.
  • We can get there in under an hour.
• 5

  Subject to.

  • We were constantly under bombardment.
  • I can't live under these circumstances.
• 6

  Subject to.

  • He served in World War II under General Omar Bradley.
  • During the pandemic, we had to live under severe restrictions.
• 7

  Within the category, classification or heading of.

  • 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".
• 8

  In the face of; in response to (some attacking force).

  • 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

underadv/ˈʌndə/

• 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

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

  • The plants were underwatered.
  • Women are under-represented.
• 4

  informalIn 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.

underadj/ˈʌndə/

• 1

  Lower; beneath something.

  • This treatment protects the under portion of the car from rust.
  • (in compounds) underbelly, underside, undershirt, undersecretary
• 2

  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.
• 3

  medicinesciencesUnder anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated.

  • Ensure the patient is sufficiently under.
  • 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.”
• 4

  informalHaving a particular property that is low, especially so as to be insufficient or lacking in a particular respect.

  • This chicken is a bit under.
  • This bag of apples feels under.

undernoun/ˈʌndə/

• 1

  The amount by which an actual total is less than the expected or required amount.

  • […] standard cash count forms used to record the count and any overs or unders.
• 2

  informalSomething having a particular property that is low or too low.

  • I went fishing but caught nothing but unders.
  • Usually I am at least ten over on that course, but I have shot a couple of unders.
• 3

  gamblinggamesA bet that a particular sporting statistic, such as points scored in a game, will be below a certain stated value.