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Glite Dictionary
to underquote

to underquote

7.7
To offer a lower price than other companies to win work
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərˈkwoʊt/
translation icon : subcotizar
  • The supplier managed to underquote all of its competitors in the bidding process.

Examples

  • When two companies compete, one may underquote the other to win the contract.

  • The agency underquoted their fees last month.

  • She was disappointed to learn her bid had been underquoted by another firm.

  • Don't underquote!

  • The supplier managed to underquote all of its competitors in the bidding process.

  • When two companies compete, one may underquote the other to win the contract.

  • She was disappointed to learn her bid had been underquoted by another firm.

Synonyms

to undercut
vsto underquote
28 4.4

Sell goods or services at a lower price than a competitor

offer a lower quoted price when giving a price estimate rather than ongoing sales
to lowball
vsto underquote
  • Informal
8 7.5

Give a much lower price or estimate on purpose to win the deal

offer a lower quoted price but not necessarily an unfairly low estimate
to underprice
vsto underquote
3 5.2

Sell something for less than its normal market price

offer a lower quoted price compared with competitors rather than below market value
to underbid
vsto underquote
1 5.9

Offer to do work or sell something for a lower price than others to win a contract

offer a lower quoted price generally, not only to win contracts
to undersell
vsto underquote
1 4.7

Sell goods or services at a lower price than a competitor

offer a lower quoted price as a listed or proposed amount rather than focus on sales

How Cheap

to undercut
28 4.4
to underquote
7.7
to quote
68 3.5

Surface Forms

underquote infinitive
underquoted past
underquoted past participle
underquoting present participle
underquotes third person singular

Morphology

underquote = quote (transparent) = under + quote

The meaning is directly derived from the productive prefix 'under-' (meaning 'lower/less') + the verb 'quote' to indicate giving a lower price.

Etymology

The word underquote comes from the two simple parts under and quote, where under means 'below' and quote means 'price'. So to underquote someone is to give a 'below' 'price', meaning you offer a lower price than competitors to win the contract.