• UNDERGANG
n. an archway; a tunnel or passage beneath a railway etc. …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. 1. to submit to …c1200 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
vb. 2. to suffer adversity; to suffer mental pain; to endure …a1470 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
• UNDERGANGING
n. the act of undergoing or enduring; anything endured …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDERGARMENTS
n. underwear; the clothing worn next to the skin …M19 sl.
• UNDER-GENTLEMAN
n. an inferior gentleman …1766
• UNDER-GET
vb. to catch up with, to overtake …1390 obs.
• UNDER GLASS
adj. 1. imprisoned; arrested …1920s sl., orig. US
adj. 2. dead and buried …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• UNDERGO
vb. 1. to work under, so as to impair or destroy; to undermine …c1000 obs.
vb. 2. to submit to …c1200 obs.
vb. 3. to investigate, to occupy oneself with …c1250 obs.
vb. 4. to deceive, to get the better of …c1250 obs.
vb. 5. to get knowledge of; to be informed of …c1290 obs.
vb. 6. to accept, to admit, to allow …c1315 obs.
vb. 7. to expose oneself to risk …c1315 obs.
vb. 8. to take in hand; to undertake …1601 rare
vb. 9. to partake of, to enjoy …1603 obs. rare
• UNDERGORE
adj. in a state of leprous eruption …1802 Sc. obs.
• UNDERGRADUATE
adj. of lower degree; of inferior importance …1654 obs.
• UNDERGRADUETTE
n. a female undergraduate …Bk1958 sl.
• UNDERGRO
n. a swelling or disturbance of the sea, an under-swell …1908 Sc.
• UNDERGROPE
vb. to search into, to investigate; to learn …a1412 obs.
• UNDERGROUND
adj. 1. hidden, concealed, secret …1677
adj. 2. undergrown, short, dumpy …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adv. in secrecy or concealment; in a hidden or obscure manner …1632
n. a hidden counter culture …1966 US sl.
• UNDERGROUND BEAN
n. a peanut …1959 Amer. dial.
• UNDERGROUND-BOOK
n. a book on geology …Bk1905 Eng. dial. obs.
• UNDERGROUND CHICKEN
n. rabbit …1930s Aust. sl.
• UNDERGROUND HANG-OUT
n. a graveyard …1901 US criminals’ sl.
• UNDERGROUND KITE
n. an illicit letter passed in prison …c1910 US prison sl.
• UNDERGROUND MOON
n. the moon when it makes a change between the hours of 12 and 1 o’clock; the claim is made that foul weather is sure to accompany …1905 Amer. dial.
• UNDERGROUND MUTTON
n. rabbit meat …1919 Aust. sl.
• UNDERGROUND PEA
n. a peanut …1966 Amer. dial.
• THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
n. the ‘grapevine’ or that system of communication which subsists in the underworld, esp. between convicts and the outer world …1879 UK criminals’ sl.
• THE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL
n. the system by which contraband articles, such as whisky, drugs, etc. are brought into a prison …1904 US prison sl.
• THE UNDERGROUND WIRES
n. the ‘grapevine’ or that system of communication which subsists in the underworld, esp. between convicts and the outer world …1918 US criminals’ sl.
• UNDERGROWING
adj. arising, occurring …a1440 obs.
• UNDERGROWN
adj. showing signs of puberty …1601 obs.
• UNDERGROWTH
n. the short hair about the nape of the neck …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDER-GRUB
vb. to undermine …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDERGUNNED
adj. having too small a surfboard for the surf conditions …1989 Aust. sl.
• UNDER HACK
adj. controlled and ordered by another …1899 Amer. dial.
• UNDERHALF
n. 1. an inferior part, lesser portion …1888 Sc.
n. 2. one’s husband …1888 Sc.
• UNDERHAND
adj. secret, clandestine, surreptitious …1592
adv. 1. under rule or command; in subjection …a900 obs.
adv. 2. in reserve …1929 Sc.
n. a position of inferiority …1886
• UNDERHANDED
adj. 1. short, undersized, poorly developed …1856 Eng. dial.
adj. 2. scarce …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 3. short-handed …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDERHANG
vb. to hang, to suspend …1603 obs.
• UNDERHANGING
adj. having a prominent lower jaw …1865
• UNDER-HAPPED
adj. not sufficiently clothed …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDER HATCHES
adj. dead and buried …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• UNDERHEAD
n. 1. a subordinate official …1599
n. 2. a person of inferior intelligence; a stupid person; a blockhead …1643 obs.
• UNDER-HEADED
adj. of inferior intellect or parts; dull, stupid …1646 obs.
• UNDERHEAR
vb. to overhear …c1570 obs.
• UNDERHEILD
adj. subject to authority …a1300 obs.
• UNDERHEW
vb. to undercut, to undermine …1523 rare
• UNDERHOLD
n. an advantage, the upper hand …1874 Amer. dial.
• UNDERINGNESS
n. harmlessness, innocence …a1300 obs.
• UNDERKEEP
vb. to restrain; to keep under or in subjection …1590 obs.
• UNDER-KIND
n. a sub-species; an inferior or lower kind …1571 obs.
• UNDERLAY
vb. to make subject; to submit …a1300 obs.
• UNDERLAYER
n. 1. an underlying part or thing; a base or support …a1592 obs.
n. 2. a cobbler …1692 obs.
• UNDERLEGGED
adj. having legs too slender in proportion to the body …1681 obs.
• UNDERLIE
vb. 1. to be subject or subordinate to a person or thing; to submit to or be controlled by …c897 obs.
vb. 2. to lie below ground; to be buried …1648 obs.
• UNDERLIMBED
adj. having legs too slender in proportion to the body …1686
• UNDER-LINE
adv. below the level of the sea …1605 rare
• UNDERLING
adj. 1. subordinate to a person, subject to authority …c1370
adj. 2. undersized, small, weak, inferior …a1722
adj. 3. trivial, unimportant …1804
n. 1. a subordinate, one subject to authority …c1175
n. 2. a small or weakly child, animal, or plant; the weakest animal of a herd, etc. which is bullied by the rest; the smallest pig of a litter; a small or inferior fruit or vegetable …1688 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
• UNDERLINGS
adv. under …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDERLIVE
vb. to live in a manner unworthy of oneself …1655 obs.
• UNDERLOOK
n. a covert look or glance …1821
vb. to look at someone or someone with grave doubt …1965 Barbados sl.
• UNDERLOUT
adj. subservient, submissive …a1300 obs.
n. 1. one who is subject or subordinate to another; an underling or servant; an inferior; the lowest boy on a farm; a lazy servant-boy …a1300 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
n. 2. anything weak or inferior to the rest; used esp. of animals and trees …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
vb. to be subject, to submit …a1400 obs. rare
• UNDERLY
adj. 1. subordinate; inferior, low …1648 rare
adj. 2. in a low state of health …1715 rare
adj. 3. backward, behind time …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
adj. 4. underprivileged …1991 Amer. dial.
• UNDERMAN
n. an inferior or subordinate man …a1300 rare
vb. to demean, to degrade …1889 Eng. dial.
• UNDER MANNERS
adj. behaving as required, submitting to another person’s orders …1990s W. Indies & Black British sl.
• UNDERMASTER
n. 1. a subordinate instructor; in schools, a master or teacher below the headmaster …1388
n. 2. a subordinate director or supervisor …1688 rare
• UNDERMATCH
n. one who is no match for another; an inferior rival …a1661 obs.
• UNDERMATCHED
adj. not equal to another; inferior …1642 obs.
• UNDERMEAL
n. 1. a1000 obs. – the time of undern (the forenoon; later used especially for the early part of the afternoon)
n. 2. 1426 obs. – an after-dinner nap or sleep
n. 3. c1440 obs. – a slight afternoon meal
• UNDERMER
adv. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – more under
• UNDERMIND
vb. 1. 1788 Amer. dial. – to undermine
vb. 2. 1899 Eng. dial. – to deceive; to try to take away a person’s character
• UNDERMINDED
adj. 1902 Eng. & Amer. dial. – sly, deceptive, double-faced; underhand, mean, treacherous
• UNDERN
n. 1. the forenoon …1684 Eng. dial. obs.
n. 2. the period between noon and sunset; the evening …1684 Sc. & Eng. dial.
n. 3. a light luncheon; a light meal partaken of in the middle of the morning or the afternoon; the time allotted to such a repast …1691 Sc. & Eng. dial.
vb. to work in the after-part of the day …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDERNEAN
adj./adv./prep. underneath …1896 Eng. dial.
adj. deceitful, treacherous, underhand …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDER ONE
adv. in one, unitedly, conjointly, together, at one time …1596 obs. exc. Eng, dial.
• UNDER ONE’S HAT
adj. secret …L19 US sl.
• UNDER ONE’S OWN STEAM
phr. acting independently …1912 sl.
• UNDER PAR
adj. less than average, or less than projected …1767 UK
• UNDERPARTS
n. the genitals, either male or female …19C colloq.
• UNDERPASS
n. the posterior; the buttocks; the anus …2003 UK rhyming sl. for ‘arse’
• UNDERPINNERS
n. the legs …1859
• UNDERPINNINGS
n. the legs …1848 US sl.
• UNDERPUT
n. a mistress …E17 sl.
• UNDERPUTTED
adj. undermined, without a firm foundation or base …1733 Sc. obs.
• UNDER-RECKON
vb. to undervalue …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDER-RIGGING
n. the male genitals …E19 sl.
• UNDERS
n. 1. underclothes, underwear …1731
n. 2. the female genitals …19C Brit. colloq.
• UNDERSCRIBER
n. one whose name appears written below in a document; an undersigned person …c1785 Sc.
• UNDERSCRIVER
n. one whose name appears written below in a document; an undersigned person …1785 Sc. obs.
• UNDER SHELL
n. a waistcoat …1753 UK criminals’ sl. obs.
• UNDER-SIDE
n. 1. death; the grave …19C euphemism
n. 2. the posteriors, the bottom …19C colloq.
• UNDERSOOK
n. an undercurrent flowing in a direction opposite to that of the surface water, underflow …1904 Sc.
• UNDER-SORT
n. people of inferior degree …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDER-STAIN
n. the bleed period of the menstrual cycle …1980 UK euphemism
• UNDERSTAND
vb. to hear …1884 Eng. dial.
• UNDERSTANDINGS
n. 1. boots or shoes …L18 sl.
n. 2. the legs …E19 sl.
n. 3. of a woman: sexual conquests …L19 sl.
• UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS
adj. arrested …1959 UK police & criminals’ sl.
• UNDER-STORY
n. a basement …1733 Sc.
• UNDERSTRAPPER
n. a child, in contradistinction to an adult …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDERSTUMBLE
vb. to understand …M19 sl.
• UNDERSUBSCRIBE
vb. to sign a document …1706 Sc. obs.
• UNDERSUBSCRIBER
n. one who signs a document, the undersigned …1703 Sc. obs.
• UNDERSUBSCRIVE
vb. to sign a document …1706 Sc. obs.
• UNDERTAKER
n. 1. someone who operates a funeral parlour; a man who makes his livelihood by performing burials …E19
n. 2. the female genitals …19C Brit. sl.
n. 3. a life sentence; any other very long sentence …1935 US prison sl.
n. 4. a bookmaker who will only accept bets at odds under those offered by his competition …1989 Aust. sl.
• UNDERTAKER’S JOB
n. 1. a hopeless (‘dead’) proposition …1930s sl., orig. US
n. 2. a horse or greyhound which is deliberately, for the sake of the odds, not meant to win, whatever legitimate gamblers may presume …1970s gambling sl.
• UNDER THE AFFLUENCE OF INKAHOL
adj. under the influence of alcohol, drunk …Bk1996 Aust. sl.
• UNDER THE ARM
adj. of low quality; bad; inferior; unsatisfactory; loathsome …1937 Brit. sl.
• UNDER THE BED
adj. clandestine, secret, corrupt …M19
• UNDER THE BUNK!
int. shut up! …c1920 US prison sl.
• UNDER THE COSH
adj. 1. in trouble, at a disadvantage …1950s sl.
adj. 2. under pressure, usually at work …2000s sl.
• UNDER THE DAISIES
adj. dead and buried …1866 sl.
• UNDER THE ETHER
adj. bewildered; confused; muddled …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
• UNDER THE GIRDLE
adj. of children: unborn …Bk1958 sl.
• UNDER THE GUN
adj. under great pressure or stress …1940s sl., orig. US
• UNDER THE HAMMER
adj. 1. in trouble, at a disadvantage …1950s sl.
adj. 2. in Australian Rules football: about to be tackled …Bk1996 Aust. sl.
• UNDER THE HATCHES
adj. 1. down in position or circumstances; in a state of depression, humiliation, or restraint; down out of sight …c1550
adj. 2. in trouble, dead, in jail …M16 sl.
• UNDER THE INFLUENCE
adj. drunk …20C US sl.
• UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INCOHOL
adj. drunk …1984 Aust. sl.
• UNDER THE JUNIPER TREE
adj. downcast …Bk1913-17 Amer. dial.
• UNDER THE LAND
adj. at a disadvantage …1821 US sl.
• UNDER THE LAP
adv. 1. confidentially …1930s Aust. sl.
adv. 2. clandestinely; underhandedly; illicitly; illegally …1940s Aust. sl.
• UNDER THE ROPE
adj. marked for death, esp. one under sentence to be hanged …1931 UK criminals’ sl.
• UNDER THE ROSE
adj. surreptitiously …Bk1958 sl.
• UNDER THE SALT
phr. at the lower part of the table; i.e. among the less honoured guests …19C
• UNDER THE SCREW
adj. in prison …M19 sl.
• UNDER THE SCREWS
adj. under pressure …E19
• UNDER THE SEA
n. a ship lying-to in a heavy gale, and making bad weather of it …1867
• UNDER THE TABLE
adj. 1. clandestine, secret, corrupt …M19
adj. 2. drunk …L19 sl.
adj. 3. given as a bribe …c1920 UK criminals’ sl.
• UNDER THE UMBER OF
adv. on pretense of …1423 obs.
• UNDER THE WEATHER
adj. 1. ill …1850 sl. orig. US
adj. 2. intoxicated with alcohol or having a hangover …19C sl.
adj. 3. pert. to a woman who is menstruating …20C US sl.
• UNDER THE WAND
adj. subject to the rule of a person …c1400 Sc. obs.
• UNDER THE WHIP
adj. at a disadvantage …1900s Aust. sl.
• UNDER THE WIND
adv. secretly, by underhand means …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
• UNDER THE WIRE
phr. at the very last minute …1930s
• UNDER THE YARD
adj. under the rule, control, or discipline of …c1386 obs.
• UNDERTHINGS
n. women’s underwear, esp. underpants …M20 euphemism
• UNDER-THUMB
adv. secretly; in an underhand manner …1824 Sc. & Eng. dial.
• UNDER TRUST
phr. in a state of supposed safety …1545 obs. exc. arch.
• UNDER TUG
n. an under petticoat …1753 UK criminals’ sl. obs.
• UNDER TWO EYES
adj. face to face …1990 Trinidad and Tobago
• UNDER VEIL
adv. surreptitiously …1382 obs.
• UNDERWAY
adj. drunk …Bk2009 sl.
• UNDERWEAR
n. an unshaven chin …1960s US homosexual sl.
• UNDERWEIGHT
n. a girl under twenty-one exported to the Argentine to become a prostitute there …20C UK White slavers’ usage
• UNDERWHELM
vb. to arouse little or no interest in someone …1956 UK jocular usage
• UNDER-WITTED
adj. weak in intellect; of inferior understanding; half-witted, silly …1683
• UNDER-WORKS
n. the male genitals …E19 sl.
• UNDERWORLD
n. 1. hell; the region of departed souls …E17 sl.
n. 2. the world of thieves, prostitutes, tramps, sexual degenerates, and confidence men …19C Brit. & US usage
n. 3. the vagina …L19 sl.
• UNDER WRAPS
adj. secret …1939 sl.
adv. restrainedly …20C
phr. kept in secret …1939 UK sl.
• UNDER YEARS
adj. below the legal age of majority, under age …1590 obs.
• UNDER YONDER
n. the anus …1972 US sl.
• UNDEVALDIN’
adj. 1792 Sc. – unceasing, never ending
• UNDHERLOOD
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to make game of; to banter; to bully
• UNDHERLOOT
n. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – one who is befooled, bullied, or made game of
• UNDHERLUDE
vb. 1. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to give a false pretext
vb. 2. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to make game of; to banter; to bully
• UNDIES
n. 1906 sl. – women’s underpants
• UNDIGESTED ANANIAS
n. L19 sl. – a triumphant liar
• UNDIGHT
adj. 1817 Sc. – untidy, not set to rights; unmended
• UNDIGHTED
adj. 1. 1685 Sc. & Eng. dial. – undressed; undecked; unprepared
adj. 2. 1859 Eng. dial. – undefiled
adj. 3. 1884 Sc. – unwiped, dirty
• UNDO A THUNK
vb. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – to get into a rage
• UNDOCKIT
adj. 1887 Sc. – of hair: uncut, unshorn
• UNDOFFED
adj. c1440 – unclothed, undressed, naked
• UNDOMIOUS
adj. 1871 Sc. – extraordinary, incredible, fabulous, incalculable, immense; what cannot be reckoned
• UNDOOMIS
adj. 1871 Sc. – extraordinary, incredible, fabulous, incalculable, immense; what cannot be reckoned
• UNDOOTFA
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – doubtful
• UNDOUGHT
adj. 1773 Sc. – sickly, puny, feeble; contemptible
n. 1644 Sc. – a weak, puny person; a silly, incapable, worthless person
• UNDREINT
adj. c1175 obs. – undrowned
• UNDRESSED
adj. 1976 US sl. – used of a citizens’ band radio operated without a linear amplifier
• UNDRINKLED
adj. c1250 obs. – undrowned
• UNDUB
vb. 1753 criminals’ sl. – to open or unfasten; to unlock
• UNDUE PERVERSITY
n. 1980s US students’ sl. – Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
• UNDUMIOUS
adj. 1747 Sc. – extraordinary, enormous, incredible, esp. of size or amount, inconceivably large, immense, incalculable
• UNDUMOUS
adj. 1871 Sc. – extraordinary, incredible, fabulous, incalculable, immense; what cannot be reckoned
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Updated: February 26, 2023
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