prep., adv., a. and sb. Forms: 1 underneoðan, -nyðan, 2 -næðen, 4 -neþen, 5 undernethen, -nethyn; 4 underneþe, -nueþe, -neyþe, 4–6 undernethe, -neth, 6– underneath. (Also 4–7 vnder-, 5 vndir-, vndur-, vndyr-, 5–6 undre-, 6 Sc. wndir-). [OE. underneoðan (f. UNDER prep. and adv. + NETHEN adv.), = older Da. underneden.]
A. prep. 1. Beneath or below (in local position).
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., III. ix. 134. Ðær wearð Alexander þurhscoten mid anre flan underneoðan oþer breost.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1070. Hi … namen þa þet fotspure þe wæs undernæðen his fote.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 2380 (Fairf.). Abraham … come and lendid … vnder-neyþe a faire valay.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xiii. 57. Vnderneth it es a well.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Grail, xlvi. 129. Whanne that he say kyng Mordrayn On the Erthe liggen … vnder-nethen here hors feet.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, IV. xvi. 362. Vndernethe that castel they sawe a knyghte standynge.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lix. 203. Vnderneth it was the porte.
1591. Spenser, Mother Hubberd, 1322. The wicked weed … From vnderneath his head he looke away.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. i. 1116. He … Insconc’d himself as formidable As could be underneath a Table.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 597. If a swarthy Tongue Is underneath his humid Palate hung, Reject him.
1726. Young, Univ. Pass. (ed. 3), III. 118.
| Tho’ Phœbus and the Nine for ever mow, | |
| Rank folly underneath the scythe will grow. |
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, V. 2185. Underneath thy feet writhe Faith, and Folly, Custom, and Hell, and mortal Melancholy.
1879. S. C. Bartlett, Egypt to Pal., xx. 436. The immense quarries directly underneath the city.
b. fig. Under the form, cover, protection, authority, etc., of (something).
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 258. Bot undernethe such a jape He hath so for himselve schape, That [etc.].
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., Pref. (1812), p. vii. Vndirnethe ȝoure fadirs magnificence He durste nought so haue lette hys righte fall doun.
1495. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 465/1. Dyvers Leesses … hath be made … undrenethe the Scales in these parties of old tyme used.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 437. Whether Christ is to be worshipped vnder the forme of bread and wine, whether Christ be wholly vnderneath either kinde.
1845. Maurice, Mor. Philos., in Encycl. Metrop., II. 627/1. The truths which lay underneath its false worship.
2. In subordination or subjection to; under the power or control of.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 475. Schir amery … That wes vardane of þe land Vnder-neth þe Ynglis kyng.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 88. A virtuos man … had vndernethe his gouernance in a monasterie ccc wommen. Ibid., 514. He had many servandis vnder-nethe hym.
1538. Bale, God’s Promises, II. Beynge thy subject, he is undreneth thy cure, Correct hym thu mayest.
1546. Yorks. Chantry Surv. (Surtees), 348. The chantor … hath a vicare indowyd underneth hym.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. iv. 10. Till these Rebels … Come vnderneath the yoake of Gouernment.
1651. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., II. xxvii. 205. A man underneath many Passions, but above fear.
1667. Dryden & Davenant, Tempest, III. iii. When underneath my power my foes have truckl’d.
1825. Shelley, trans. Calderon’s Mag. Prodig., II. 34. Philosophy, thou canst not even Compel their causes underneath thy yoke.
b. Below the level of; inferior to.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, Pref. 6. The least creatures which lie farre vnderneath man.
† 3. Subject to, under (a condition). Obs.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 333. I will grawnt þe a plyte of my gown vnder-nethe a condicion, at þou sall not hurte me.
† 4. Below, less than (in amount.) Obs.
1455. Paston Lett., I. 355. Ther can noon be gete here … undrenethe iijs. the yerde at the lowest price.
1528. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 57. Above the somme of vj*, and … under nethe the seyd somme.
B. adv. 1. Down below; at an underlying or lower point or level.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. xxix. 12. And þu nymst cealfes blod mid þinum fingre,… and ʓitst þæt oðer undernyðan.
a. 1325. MS. Rawl. B. 520, fol. 32 b. So þat þis statut ne portenez noȝt to … grete troen [= trees], ware fore [sic] hit be cler vnder nueþe.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Peter), 526. Þe hound … schot on symeon … And to be ȝerde hym vndirnethe Ruschit.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 123. Constantine … made peynte the signe and tokene of þe crosse…, and he made write undirneþe, ‘Þis is þe signe and tokene’ [etc.].
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9998. Till the sun in his sercle set vndernethe.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. xvii. 27. Wher the watre is lest and most low,… there in trauers ought to be sett a route of folke wel horsed and another in like wyse vndrenethe.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 268. Lyke as they yt wrestleth be somtyme aboue, & somtyme vnderneath.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 24 b. The floore vnderneth was covered with clothe of Arras.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 259. The streetes are … vaulted vnderneath for the conueiance of the sulledge.
1657. R. Ligon, Barbadoes, 43. Leaving it hollow underneath for Ventiducts.
1747. Wesley, Prim. Physick (1762), 118. If they heal too soon, and a Matter gather underneath.
1791. Cowper, Odyss., XIX. 552. So thick it was, and underneath, the ground with litter of dry foliage strew’d profuse.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., c. I climb the hill: from end to end Of all the landscape underneath [etc.].
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. i. 232. The lines of light converged by the ripples upon the sand underneath.
fig. c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. pr. v. (1868), 75. Ryȝt on þat same side nounpower entriþ vndirneþ þat makeþ hem wreches.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 232. Bot undernethe he was bethoght In what manere he mihte aspie Achilles fro Deïdamie.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XI. (Percy Soc.), 40. In an example … the poetes do wryte; And underneth the trouth doth so shroude.
1659. Milton, Lett. Ruptures Commonw., Wks. 1851, V. 404. If such a Union as this be not accepted on the Army’s part, be confident there is a single Person underneath.
1674. Campion, Art of Descant, I. 4. A fourth above is the same that a fifth is underneath, and a fourth underneath is as a fifth above.
b. Below or beneath other clothing.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol., 5. A man that clothed was in clothes blake And vnder-nethe he wered a white surplys.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 695. Ȝif he haue vnder-neþen whijt, þanne he aboue wereþ Blak.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. ix. 10. On his backe [was] an vncouth vestiment,… And vnderneath his breech was all to torne.
1856. trans. Vehse’s Mem. Court of Austria, I. 124. He wore a suit of black armour,… and underneath a shirt of close mail.
c. Lower down on a sheet of paper, etc.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 3. Eche of hem had sworen on þe bok to perfourme þe pointz vndernethe wryten.
c. 1550. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Mary (1914), 250. Certayne sutes of apparell as be heare vndernethe mentyoned.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw., II. xxv. (1589), 102. He … deliuereth vp the examination which he tooke of him, and vnderneath the names of those whom he hath bound to giue euidence.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 106. On the head of the fourth column you find magnitude, intimating that by the Figures underneath … is shewn the magnitude of each star.
1743. W. Emerson, Fluxions, 33. Then I take the Sum of the Terms… and set this Sum … underneath.
2. On the under side.
1776. Withering, Bot. Arr. Vegetables, I. 697. Leaves … with little scales and fringed appendages underneath.
1812. New Bot. Garden, i. 7. The leaves … not shining or hoary underneath.
1820. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., I. 442. They come Blackening the birth of day with countless wings, And hollow underneath, like death.
C. adj. 1. Underhand; secret. rare.
1747. Mem. Nutrebian Crt., II. 118. This … causes him to determine, by a sly, underneath cunning, to work that virtuous youth ruin.
1899. in Eng. Dial. Dict. (Leeds dial.).
2. Situated below.
1894. Daily News, 9 March, 5/4. In an underneath room, printers … will be seen printing some … newspapers.
D. sb. That which is in the lowest place; the under part or side.
1676. Moxon, Print Lett., 33. You must make up the Top and Underneath with straight lines.
1855. trans. Labarte’s Arts Mid. Ages, viii. 310. The underneath of his dishes.
1887. Ruskin, Præterita, II. 159. For all other rivers there is a surface, and an underneath.
1889. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Thro’ Long Night, II. 215. She read the underneath of the cards.
