English Online Dictionary. What means under? What does under mean?
English
Etymology
From Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-Germanic *under (whence also German unter, Dutch onder, Danish and Norwegian under), from a merger of Proto-Indo-European *n̥dʰér (“under”) and *n̥tér (“inside”). Akin to Old High German untar (“under”), Sanskrit अन्तर् (antar, “within”), Latin infrā (“below, beneath”) and inter (“between, among”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) enPR: ŭnʹ-dər IPA(key): /ˈʌndə(ɹ)/, [ˈɐn.də(ɹ)]
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈʌndɚ/, [ˈʌn(ɾ)ɚ], [ˈʌɾ̃ɚ]
- (Northern England) IPA(key): /ˈʊndə/
- Rhymes: -ʌndə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: un‧der
Preposition
under
- At the bottom of or in the area covered or surmounted by.
- Below the surface of.
- From one side of to the other, passing beneath.
- Less than.
- Subordinate to; subject to the control of; in accordance with; in compliance with.
- Within the category, classification or heading of.
- (figuratively) In the face of; in response to (some attacking force).
- Using or adopting (a name, identity, etc.).
Synonyms
- below
- beneath
- underneath
Antonyms
- above
- over
Translations
Adverb
under (not comparable)
- 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.
- (usually in compounds) Insufficiently.
- The plants were underwatered.
- Women are under-represented.
- (informal) In or into an unconscious state.
- It took the hypnotist several minutes to make his subject go under.
Synonyms
- below
- beneath
Antonyms
- above
- over
Translations
Adjective
under (comparative more under, superlative most under)
- 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.
- (medicine, colloquial) Under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated.
- (informal) 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)
- 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.
Derived terms
- See also under-
Noun
under (plural unders)
- The amount by which an actual total is less than the expected or required amount.
References
- Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "The vertical axis", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition, Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8
- under at OneLook Dictionary Search
- “under”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams
- Duren, nuder, ruden, runed, unred, urned
Chinese
Etymology
From English underwear or undies.
Pronunciation
Noun
under
- (Hong Kong Cantonese) underwear
References
- English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese
Danish
Etymology 1
From Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under, cognate with English under, German unter.
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
- under
- underneath
- below
- during
Adverb
under
- 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)
- wonder
- marvel
- miracle
Inflection
Related terms
- underfuld
- underlig
- undre
- vidunder
Etymology 3
Clipping of underdel or underside.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /onər/, [ˈɔnɐ]
Noun
under c (singular definite underen, plural indefinite undere)
- bottom (part)
Declension
Etymology 4
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /onər/, [ˈɔnɐ]
Verb
under
- present tense of unde
Latin
Verb
under
- first-person singular present passive subjunctive of undō
Middle English
Alternative forms
- vnder, onder
Etymology
From Old English under, from Proto-West Germanic *undar, from Proto-Germanic *under.
Preposition
under
- under
- among
Descendants
- English: under
- Scots: unner
- Yola: unnere
References
- “under, prep.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Norwegian Bokmål
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈʉnər/, /ˈʉndər/
- 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
- below; beneath
- during
- under
Derived terms
- oppunder
- under-
- underveis
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)
- wonder, marvel, miracle
Derived terms
- underfull
- underverk
- vidunder
References
- “under” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Alternative forms
- poinni (dialectal)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈʉndər/
Etymology 1
From Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under. Akin to English under.
Preposition
under
- below, beneath, under
- during
Derived terms
- oppunder
- under-
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)
- wonder, marvel, miracle
Derived terms
- underverk
References
- “under” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old Dutch
Preposition
under
- under
References
- Altniederfränkischer Psalm 63
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *under. Compare Old Saxon undar, Old High German untar.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈun.der/
Preposition
under
- under
- among
Descendants
- Middle English: under, vnder, onder
- English: under
- Scots: unner
- Yola: unnere
Old Swedish
Etymology
From Old Norse undr, from Proto-Germanic *wundrą.
Noun
under n
- wonder, miracle
- wonderment, awe, marvel
Declension
Descendants
- Swedish: under
Swedish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɵndɛr/
Etymology 1
From Old Swedish undir, from Old Norse undir, from Proto-Germanic *under.
Preposition
under
- under; below; beneath
- during, at the same time as
Related terms
- underskatta
- undertag
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
- wonder, miracle
Declension
Derived terms
- underbarn
- vidunder
See also
- på under
- under tiden
References
Further reading
- under in Svensk ordbok.
Anagrams
- runde, undre