FromMiddle Englishundernethe,undernethen, fromOld Englishunderneoþan(“underneath”), ultimately fromProto-Germanic*underniþer.
underneath (notcomparable)
- Below; in aplacebeneath.
I can't take my sweater off: I amn't wearing anything else onunderneath.
1825, Isaac Taylor,Scenes of British Wealth: In Produce, Manufactures, and Commerce, for the Amusement and Instruction of Little Tarry At-home Travellers[1]:connected with itunderneath, you see a very fine hair-spring.
- On theunderside orlowerface.
1832,Georges Cuvier, translated by Edward Griffith, edited by Georges Cuvier, Edward Pidgeon, andEdward Griffith,The Animal Kingdom: Arranged in Conformity with Its Organization[2], volume14, published2012,→ISBN:No insects exhibit, like them, what may be termed four net-work eyes. It is very easy to perceive them in looking at the animal from above, and then examining itunderneath
- (Can we add anexample for this sense? )
below; in a place beneath
on the underside or lower face of
underneath
- Under, below, beneath.
Underneath the water, all was calm.
We flewunderneath the bridge.
We lookedunderneath the table.
- Under thecontrol orpower of.
There was little freedomunderneath the Nazi jackboot.
under the control or power of
underneath (notcomparable)
- Under, lower.
You can have theunderneath bunk.
1990, Stephen King,The Moving Finger:The mess in the kitchen was one thing. The way the place smelled was another—some sort of chemistry-lab stink on top, some other smell underneath it. He was afraid theunderneath smell might be blood.
underneath (usuallyuncountable,pluralunderneaths)
- Thebottom of something.
Theunderneath of the aircraft was painted blue.
1938,Xavier Herbert, chapter V, inCapricornia[3], page64:Nawnim yelped, heaved away, struck his head on theunderneath of the bed, and rolled into view bawling.
2002, Mary Ann Caws,Surrealist Painters and Poets: An Anthology[4], page229:It was a monolith of a golden color, opening at its base on to a cavern: itsunderneath was hollowed out by water.
2010, Molly Brodak,A Little Middle of the Night[5], page13:I have been looking for an underneath I couldn't see.
2011,Nigella Lawson,Nigella Express: Good Food Fast[6]:they harden up a little as they cool, and they should be damp within; that's what makes them chewy, so don't worry that theunderneaths of the macaroons look sticky.
- Abackgroundradiosound track played during a specific announcement or program.
- 2009, Jay Trachtenberg (radio host), KUT-FM Radio, Austin, Texas, 17 Dec.:
- Theunderneath is music from the latest album by [...].
