under
pronunciation
How to pronounce under in British English:
UK [ˈʌndə(r)]
How to pronounce under in American English:
US [ˈʌndər]
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- Adjective:
- located below or beneath something else
- lower in rank, power, or authority
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- Adverb:
- down to defeat, death, or ruin
- through a range downward
- into unconsciousness
- in or into a state of subordination or subjugation
- below some quantity or limit
- below the horizon
- down below
- further down
Word Origin
- under
- under: [OE] Under originated as a comparative form. It has been traced back to a prehistoric Indo-European *ndhero-, which meant ‘lower’, and is also the ultimate source of English inferior [15]. This passed into Germanic as *unther-, which has evolved into German unter, Dutch onder, and Swedish, Danish, and English under.=> inferior
- under (prep., adv.)
- Old English under (prep.) "beneath, among, before, in the presence of, in subjection to, under the rule of, by means of," also, as an adverb, "beneath, below, underneath," expressing position with reference to that which is above, from Proto-Germanic *under- (cognates: Old Frisian under, Dutch onder, Old High German untar, German unter, Old Norse undir, Gothic undar), from PIE *ndher- "under" (cognates: Sanskrit adhah "below;" Avestan athara- "lower;" Latin infernus "lower," infra "below"). Productive as a prefix in Old English, as in German and Scandinavian (often forming words modeled on Latin ones in sub-). Notion of "inferior in rank, position, etc." was present in Old English. With reference to standards, "less than in age, price, value," etc., late 14c. As an adjective, "lower in position; lower in rank or degree" from 13c. Also used in Old English as a preposition meaning "between, among," as still in under these circumstances, etc. (though this may be an entirely separate root; see understand). Under the weather "indisposed" is from 1810. 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 1540s; to speak under (one's) breath "in a low voice" is attested from 1832. To be under (someone's) thumb "entirely controlled" (by that person) is recorded from 1754.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Inflation seems to be under control .
- 2. Was he under close enough surveillance ?
- 3. Why are my tribal vases under the sink ?
- 4. Sometimes I sweep excess food under the seats .
- 5. Hungary is under the international spotlight .