[UNDER-1 8 a, 8 b, 10 a.]
† 1. a. intr. To work secretly; to take clandestine measures. Obs.
1504. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 186. It is sayd that ye be lesse forward, & they underworketh falsly.
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, Argt. He raiseth in private a new instrument,… and by him underworketh, discovers the other’s counsels.
† b. trans. To work against secretly; to seek to undermine or overthrow. Obs.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 95. But thou from louing England art so farre, That thou hast vnder-wrought his lawfull King.
1613–8. Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626), 45. His delay yeelds the King time to … vnder-worke his enemies.
1627. Abp. Abbot, Narr., in Rushworth, Hist. Collect. (1659), I. 440. He will underwork any man in the World, so that he may gain by it.
1659. Rushw., Ibid., 4. He did first under-work his Voyage to Guienna.
2. † a. To spend too little work on; to leave unfinished. Obs.
1691. Norris, Pract. Disc., 228. There is no Artist, but will perform to the utmost of his Skill, provided it be as easy for him to make his Piece compleat, as to under-work it.
b. To impose too little work upon.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, I. iii. 78. Besides, he is not underworked.
c. intr. To do too little work.
1902. G. Howell, Labour Legislation, xlii. 499. The man that under-works is as bad as the man that under-pays.
3. trans. To work for less wages than (another).
1695. Whether Preserving Protest. Relig. was Motive of Revolution, 17. Who by their frugal and parsimonious Living would be able … to underwork and undersell them.
1713. Mercator, No. 9/1. The French being able to Underwork us, will also Undersell us.
