under
- adverb
- /ˈʌndər/
- When you went under, I gave you some sleep mix.
- go under
Examples
-
This makes us all realize the kind of pressure these drivers are under.
-
People need to know what kind of threat they're under.
-
Certainly not interested enough to come out from under and get involved with anything.
Fiction book (2000) -
You don't understand the pressure I'm under, thinking this guy's perfect.
-
Ice caps gonna melt, water is gonna rise... and everything south of the levee is going under.
-
His business went under after struggling for several years during the recession.
-
Many start-ups fail and go under due to lack of funding.
-
After the scandal, the politician's reputation fell under scrutiny.
Idioms
People feel very tense and worried because many difficult things are happening
- Informal
Something that happened in the past and is no longer important
- Informal
No longer alive and buried in the ground, or completely covered by something like water
- Informal
To annoy someone a lot by small things another person does
- NSFW
You are in bed with the sheets pulled over you to be private or close with someone
To keep your talents or good work hidden instead of showing them to others
- Informal
Drink more alcohol than another person until they become drunk
To suddenly stop helping someone, leaving them in a difficult situation
Compounds
- Formal
A formal written agreement signed with a special stamp that has stronger force in law
Surface Forms
Etymology
Under began as a word for 'below', and people used that 'below' image to show being 'in' a state or under someone’s power. That's why we say someone is under for an operation or under control when they are in that state.