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under
8 dictionary results for: Under
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
un·der       [uhn-der] Pronunciation Key
–preposition
1.beneath and covered by: under a table; under a tree.
2.below the surface of: under water; under the skin.
3.at a point or position lower or further down than: He was hit just under his eye.
4.in the position or state of bearing, supporting, sustaining, enduring, etc.: to sink under a heavy load.
5.beneath the heading or within the category of: Classify the books under “Fiction” and “General.”
6.as designated, indicated, or represented by: to register under a new name.
7.below in degree, amount, etc.; less than: purchased under cost.
8.below in rank; of less dignity, importance, or the like: A corporal is under a sergeant.
9.subject to the authority, direction, or supervision of: a bureau functioning under the prime minister.
10.subject to the instruction or advice of: to study the violin under Heifetz.
11.subject to the influence, condition, force, etc., of: under these circumstances; born under the sign of Taurus.
12.protected, controlled, or watched by: under guard.
13.authorized, warranted, or attested by: under one's hand or seal.
14.in accordance with: under the provisions of the law.
15.during the rule, administration, or government of: new laws passed under President Reagan.
16.in the state or process of: under repair; a matter under consideration.
17.Nautical. powered by the means indicated: under sail; under steam.
–adverb
18.below or beneath something: Go over the fence, not under.
19.beneath the surface.
20.in a lower place.
21.in a lower degree, amount, etc.: selling blouses for $25 and under.
22.in a subordinate position or condition.
23.in or into subjection or submission.
–adjective
24.beneath or on the underside: the under threads of the embroidery.
25.lower in position.
26.lower in degree, amount, etc.
27.lower in rank or condition.
28.subject to the control, effect, etc., as of a person, drug, or force: The hypnotist had her subject under at once. The patient was under as soon as he breathed the anesthetic.
—Verb phrase
29.go under,
a.to give in; succumb; yield: She tried desperately to fight off her drowsiness, but felt herself going under.
b.to fail in business: After 20 years on the same corner they finally went under.
—Idiom
30.under wraps. wrap (def. 14).
[Origin: bef. 900; ME, OE; c. D onder, G unter, ON undir, L inferus located below]

—Synonyms 2. See below.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
un·der       (ŭn'dər)  Pronunciation Key 
prep.  
    1. In a lower position or place than: a rug under a chair.
    2. To or into a lower position or place than: rolled the ball under the couch.
  2. Beneath the surface of: under the ground; swam under water.
  3. Beneath the assumed surface or guise of: traveled under a false name.
  4. Less than; smaller than: The jar's capacity is under three quarts.
  5. Less than the required amount or degree of: under voting age.
  6. Inferior to in status or rank: nine officers under me at headquarters.
  7. Subject to the authority, rule, or control of: under a dictatorship.
  8. Subject to the supervision, instruction, or influence of: under parental guidance.
  9. Undergoing or receiving the effects of: under constant care.
  10. Subject to the restraint or obligation of: under contract.
  11. Within the group or classification of: listed under biology.
  12. In the process of: under discussion.
  13. In view of; because of: under these conditions.
  14. With the authorization of: under the monarch's seal.
  15. Sowed or planted with: an acre under oats.
  16. Nautical Powered or propelled by: under sail; under steam.
  17. During the time conventionally assigned to (a sign of the zodiac): born under Aries.

adv.  
  1. In or into a place below or beneath: struggled in the water but then slipped under.
  2. In or into a subordinate or inferior condition or position.
  3. So as to be covered or enveloped.
  4. So as to be less than the required amount or degree.

adj.  
  1. Located or situated on a lower level or beneath something else: the under parts of a machine.
  2. Lower in rank, power, or authority; subordinate.
  3. Less than is required or customary: an under dose of medication.


[Middle English, from Old English; see dher- in Indo-European roots.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
under  (prep., adv.)
O.E. under, from P.Gmc. *under- (cf. O.Fris. under, Du. onder, O.H.G. untar, Ger. unter, O.N. undir, Goth. undar), from PIE *ndhero- "lower" (cf. Skt. adhah "below;" Avestan athara- "lower;" L. infernus "lower," infra "below"). Notion of "subordination" was present in O.E. Also used in O.E. as a preposition meaning "between, among," as still in under these circumstances, etc. (though this may be an entirely separate root; see understand). Productive as a prefix in O.E. times, as in Ger. and Scand. Under the table is from 1921 in the sense of "very drunk," 1940s in sense of "illegal." To get something under (one's) belt is from 1954; to keep something under (one's) hat "secret" is from 1885; to have something under (one's) nose "in plain sight" is from 1548; to speak under (one's) breath "in a low voice" is attested from 1832. To be under (someone's) thumb "entirely controlled" is recorded from 1754.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
under

adjective
1. located below or beneath something else; "nether garments"; "the under parts of a machine" [syn: nether] 
2. lower in rank, power, or authority; "an under secretary" 

adverb
1. down to defeat, death, or ruin; "their competitors went under" 
2. through a range downward; "children six and under will be admitted free" 
3. into unconsciousness; "this will put the patient under" 
4. in or into a state of subordination or subjugation; "we must keep our disappointment under" 
5. below some quantity or limit; "fifty dollars or under" 
6. below the horizon; "the sun went under" 
7. down below; "get under quickly!" 
8. further down; "see under for further discussion" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

under

In addition to the idioms beginning with under, also see below (under) par; born under a lucky star; buckle under; come under; cut the ground from under; don't let the grass grow under one's feet; everything but the kitchen sink (under the sun); fall under; false colors, sail under; get under someone's skin; go under; hide one's light under a bushel; hot under the collar; keep under one's hat; knock the bottom out (props out from under); knuckle under; light a fire under; nothing new under the sun; of (under) age; out from under; plow under; pull the rug out from under; put the skids under; six feet under; snow under; sweep under the rug; water over the dam (under the bridge).


The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Under

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Under

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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