underbrush (underbrush)

Shrubs and small trees growing under large trees in a wood or forest; brush; undergrowth. Scott, Guy Manner ing, xxxix. Under the breath. See breath. - Under the harrow. See harrow1.- Under the or one's lee ( naut. ), to the leeward: as, under the lee of the land. We thought good to try first the way we were taking; this river, being as under our lee, ready to serve and a ist us, if other means failed. R. Knox (Arber's Eng. Garner, I. 410). Under the rose. See rosel . Under the sun, the weather, etc. See the nouns. - Under water, way, etc. See the nouns. =Syn. Beneath , etc. See below . II. adv . In a lower place; in a lower, subject, or subordinate condition or degree. The adverb under is much used in composition - ( a ) With verbs and participles, and some nouns, (1) indicating inferiority of place, 'below, from below, on the lower part or surface,' as in under brace, underlay, undermine, underpin, under prop, etc.; (2) indicating insufficiency, 'insufficiently, imperfectly, below the required standard,' as in underbred, underdone, underpaid, underrate, understate, etc. (6) With nouns, denoting persons, as a quasi-adjective (whence in some cases as an independent adjective), 'inferior, subordinate, deputy' (equivalent to sub- ), as in under-sheriff, under-teacher, under-secretary, etc. Compounds of these cla es may be formed indefinitely; only the principal ones in use are here given (without etymological note, except in special cases). Compare remarks under the preposition. Ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you. 2 Chron. xxviii. 10. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection. 1 Cor. ix. 27. Rail under. See rail1, n. - To bring under. See bring. under (un'der), a. [ - To knock under. See knock. covert, n., 6, and tectrices. underact (un-der-akt'), v. t. To act or perform, as a play or part, inefficiently. *underaction (un'der-ak"shon), п. 1. Subordinate action. Dryden, Æneid, Ded.-2. Action le than is normal; defective action. Buck's Handbook of Med. Sci., IV. 656. underagent (un'der-a jent), n. A subordinate agent. South, Sermons, II. iv. under aid (un-der-ad'), v. t. To aid or a ist secretly. Daniel. [Rare.]