Underset v.

[UNDER-¹ 4 a, etc. Cf. MDu. ondersetten (Du. -zetten), MLG. undersetten, MHG. undersetzen (G. unter-), MDa. undersætte.]

  1.  trans. To support or strengthen by means of something (esp. of the nature of a post or prop) placed beneath; to prop up.

c. 1220.  Bestiary, 640. Ðe hunte haueð biholden ðis,… Saȝeð ðis tre and under-set, o ðe wise ðat he mai bet.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 254. A treou þet wule uallen, me underset hit mid on oðer treou, & hit stont feste.

13[?].  Seuyn Sages (W.), 2101. We schulle the ymage so undersette, That we ne schal hit nothing lette.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. clxiv. (Bodl. MS.). Ofte it nedeþ to vndersette it wiþ a pelere or a poste.

c. 1425.  St. Eliz. of Spalbeck, in Anglia, VIII. 115/28. Hir sistres … lifte vp and vndir-sette hir … wiþ two piloues.

1477–9.  Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905), 90. ij postes of tymbir to vndirsette the kechyng.

1513.  More, Rich. III. (1883), 9. The kynge liftinge vppe himself and vndersette with pillowes.

1555.  Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. x. 214. Thei make theim … rounde cotages of wickres, or of Felte vndersette with smothe poles.

1600.  Surflet, Countrie Farme, I. x. 48. He shall prepare props … to vnder set his vines.

1678.  [Bp. J. Williams], Hist. Gunp. Treason, 22. A Bag of Powder that they underset the Pan with.

1841.  Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., IV. 379/1. The base … has been underset with two pillars of solid masonry.

1842.  Francis, Dict. Arts, s.v., The Custom House, London, was underset some years ago, a new foundation having been made to it without the superstructure being disturbed.

  absol.  1538.  in Lett. Suppression Monast. (Camden), 181. x of them hewed the walles abowte, amonge the whych ther were 3 carpentars: thiese made proctes to undersette wher the other cutte away.

  b.  To serve as a support to. Also absol. rare.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 284. Þe hil was so hey, as men hit leet [v.r. lette], Þat heuen (men seye) hit vnder-feet [v.r. vnder sette].

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 110. Þo boonys þat vndir setten ben clepid ossa mendosa.

1609.  Daniel, Civ. Wars, VIII. xxvi. She had of fatall Lancaster Seene all the pillars crusht and ruined, That vnder-set it.

  † c.  To support or sustain by assistance. Obs.

1388.  Wyclif, Eccl. iv. 10. If oon fallith doun, he schal be vndurset [L. fulcietur] of the tothere.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth De P. R., XII. ix. (Tollem. MS.). Whan þe fader and þe moder wexeþ olde and feble, þan þe ȝonge crowes under-setteþ hem and rereþ hem with hire owen wynges.

  d.  To act upon, furnish, fasten, etc., with something placed beneath. rare.

a. 1547.  Surrey, Æneid, II. 50. Capys … wild it to drown, or vnderset with flame The suspect present of the Grekes deceit.

1599.  Minutes Archdeaconry Colchester (MS.), fol. 238. He and they did vndersett the churchdore.

c. 1618.  Moryson, Itin., IV. 381. The ringe of her dore is all Couered with tape or linnen cloth (and in some places vndersett with a small sticke).

  2.  fig. To support, sustain, or strengthen.

1395.  Purvey, Remonstr. (1851), 86. Bi here owne statute,… vndirset with ful strong oth and peynis.

a. 1470.  H. Parker, Dives & Pauper (W. de W., 1496), A v b/2. Whan youth is vndersette with richesse, & is at his owne rule without drede of punysshyng.

1538.  Tindale, Exp. 1st Ep. John, v. 72. Yf oure soules be truely vnderset wyth sure hope.

1579.  W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, 38. Vnles the Lord vnderset them, their fall is … greeuous.

1605.  Raleigh, Introd. Hist. Eng. (1693), 74. Our most renowned Kings have been best underset with Counsel.

1670.  Cudworth, Serm. 1 John ii. 3–4 (ed. 2), 185. If we would but vnderset it [truth] with the Holinesse of our Hearts.

1871.  L. Morris, Songs Two Worlds, Wand. Soul, xxxiii. The archetypes which underset the world With one broad perfect Law.

  3.  To set or place (a thing) under something else.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xxxvi. 25. When a rightwis has fallen he sall not be hurt, for lord vndirsettis his hand.

1388.  Wyclif, Gen. xlix. 15. Isachar … vndirsettide his schuldre to bere.

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Kings vii. 30. Vpon the foure corners there were proppes molten,… vnderset vnto the kettell.

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, xxi. 376. Iulian the Apostata did vnderset his shoulder, to shore vp the seruice of the false Gods.

1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. xxiii. § 9. 113. His monyes, whereon he sometimes formed a Trophy … vndersetting the word Vict. Brit.

1898.  E. Glanville, Kloof Bride, xvii. While Miles pressed the rock forward, Hans kept it from swinging back by undersetting a stone.

  † b.  To place in subjection. Obs.^–1

1422.  Yonge, Secreta Secret., 146. If þou wilt submyt or vndreset al thyngis to the, submyt thy-selfe to reysone.

  † 4.  Sc. To beset. Obs.^–1

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, IX. 796. With Sotheroun sone we sall be wndirset.

  5.  To sublet.

1804.  Mar. Edgeworth, Ennui, viii. These middle-men will underset the land, and live in idleness.

  Hence Underset ppl. a.

1833–4.  J. Phillips, Geol., in Encycl. Metrop. (1845), VI. 588. In Swaledale the united thickness of the underset chert and underset lime … is nearly constant.

1865.  Livingstone, Zambesi, xvii. 344. It contrives to pop its underset mouth directly over the unlucky victim.