v. Now rare. [OE. underberan: See UNDER-1 4 a, and BEAR v.]

1

  1.  trans. To sustain, suffer, endure. Also absol.

2

c. 950.  Rit. Eccl. Dunelm. (Surtees), 13. Subportantes invicem, vnderbearað bitvien.

3

a. 1050.  Liber Scintill., v. (1889), 24. Mid gebylde underberende [L. supportantes] ʓemænelice & forgyfende eow sylfum.

4

1340.  Ayenb., 84. Uirtue makeþ wynne heuene, and alle þe kueades of þe wordle onderbere and gledliche þolye.

5

1382.  Wyclif, Ecclus. xii. 14. If forsothe thou bowe doun, he shal not vnderbern [L. supportabit].

6

a. 1400.  Pauline Ep. (Powell), Col. iii. 13. Onderberande oþþer oþer and forgifande. Ibid., Heb. xiii. 22. I preye ȝou … þat ȝee vndyrbere [L. sufferatis] pacyently þe woord of solace.

7

1595.  Shaks., John, III. i. 65. Get thee gone, And leaue those woes alone, which I alone Am bound to vnder-beare.

8

a. 1634.  Chapman, Alphonsus, IV. i. 183. I am not able for to underbear The weight of sorrow which doth bruise my soul.

9

1697.  Congreve, Mourn. Bride, IV. vii. All pains and tortures That … dire revenge can think Shall he accumulated under-bear.

10

1888.  G. Young, trans. Sophocles, 265. My misery No mortal but myself can underbear.

11

  2.  To sustain, support, bear up.

12

1382.  Wyclif, Ezra vi. 3. Cirus the king demede … that thei putte groundis vnderberende [L. supportantia] the heiȝte of sixti cubitus.

13

1593.  Nashe, Christ’s T., F iij. I will corroborate my Crosse Giant-like, to vnder-beare the Atlas burthen of her insolences.

14

1595.  Peele, Anglorum Feriæ, 202. Show the way To help to underbear with grave advice The weighty beam whereon the state depends.

15

a. 1618.  Raleigh, Rem. (1644), 154. The first would soon be broken from their bodies, were they not underborn by many branches.

16

  † 3.  To introduce, apply. Obs.–1

17

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Peter i. 5. Forsothe ȝe vndir beringe, or ȝeuynge, al cure [L. curam omnem subinferentes], mynistre in ȝoure feith vertu.

18

  4.  To trim round the lower part.

19

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, III. iv. 20. Cloth a gold … set with pearles,… and skirts, round vnderborn with a blewish tinsel.

20

  Hence Underbearing vbl. sb.

21

1593.  Shaks., Rich. II., I. iv. 29. Wooing poore Craftes-men, with the craft of soules, And patient vnder-bearing of his Fortune.

22

1598.  Florio, Sopportatione, a toleration,… a suffring, a supporting, an vnderbearing.

23

1600.  Surflet, Countrie Farme, VI. vi. 737. To vines so planted there neede no propping or vnderbearing.

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