With ref. primarily to physical orientation on a vertical axis: (a) directly beneath (sth.), some distance below, underneath; also, beneath and in contact with (sth.), supporting; with (sth. or sb.) situated atop or above; also in fig. context; (b) below and adjacent to (sth.), down below; at the base or foot of (a vertical structure); also, at or to the feet of (a quadruped); before the wheels of (a chariot); ~ bord, ?in a table server’s position, at a table not on the dais; (c) beside and at a lower elevation than (a hill, mountains, etc.); alongside (a forest, an island, a city, etc.); at, in, or on the side of (a cliff, riverbank, etc.), up against [a few quots. could also be construed as sense 4a.(a) or (c)]; (d) apparently beneath (sth. serving as a visual point of reference), below (the horizon, treetops, a heavenly body, etc.); also, in a direction or a location defined by the apparent position of (the sun, a star, etc.); also, with diminished force: ~ sonne (the sonne, air, cloud, hevene, mone, etc.), in all the world, anywhere; (e) before and beneath (the outstretched hand of Christ) [cp. sense 5a.(c)].

With ref. to a visual top-to-bottom or head-to-foot orientation: (a) beneath (written characters, markings on an astrolabe, etc.); (b) below (a part of the body), downward from; ~ cheke (ere), on or at the jaw; ~ side(s, on or at the side(s of the body; also [quot. a1500(?a1400)], in the flank;—perh. with punning ref. to sense 4b.(b); with min legges ~ me, on my two legs; (c) ech ~ other brouden, ?each one overlapped by another; ?intertwined, intersecting.

With ref. to a horizontal orientation: (a) beneath (a floor, the deck of a ship); ~ rof, in or into (someone’s) house; (b) under (the expanse of the heavens), out in (the open air); through (the sky); (c) positioned horizontally beneath (a fixed point of reference); horizontally beneath (sth.); (d) in a layer or carpet underneath (souls in hell); folden ~, ?to lap (cloths or clothing) beneath (oneself).

With ref. to a dorsal-ventral or an anterior-posterior relationship: (a) on the underside of (a leaf, a human or an animal bodily member); also, onto the bottoms of (the feet) [1st quot.]; (b) behind (the knee); ~ the armes (arm-pit), in the armpit.

With ref. to an interior-exterior axis: (a) in the area beneath the surface of (the earth, a body of water, etc.), within (a part of the body, a structure, substance, etc.), inside; also, with verbs of motion: into (water, the body, the earth); ~ grounde [see under-grounde adv. (a)]; sen ~ erthe, to look downward into the region of the earth (contrasted with the heavens above); (b) just below (a protective outer covering), within; beneath (a surface injury); also, ?beneath and behind (a shield); ?out from underneath and behind (a shield) [quots. could also be construed as sense 4a.(a)]; (c) in phrases denoting burial or being in the grave: ~ erthe (clei, gras, gret, leir, lom, molde), into or in the earth, in the ground, under the ground, buried; ~ this grave, ?in this grave; ?beneath this marker [if the latter, = sense 4a.(a)].

(a) Protectively covered or shielded by (sth.), in the shelter of, covered by;—freq. in fig. contexts; also, covered with a layer of (ashes, coals) for baking; (b) clothed in (garments, a headdress); bearing (a weapon), equipped with; also, with diminished semantic force, in generalizing phrases: ~ gore (line, stele, etc.), to a great extent, very; ?also, throughout the land [quot. c1325]; with sup. adjectives: in all the world, of anyone alive; (c) concealed or obscured by (sth.); also in fig. contexts; also, in the symbolic form of (sth.), symbolized by; ~ barm, hidden in (someone’s) bosom; ~ honde [see under-honde adv. 2.]; ~ shaue(s, rendered partially visible by the foliage, half-hidden in the thickets; oute from ~, from a place of concealment beneath (a mantle); (d) held in place by (sth.), fastened with, secured by; also in fig. context; also, confined by (fetters); ~ reines, under the control of (lechery);—used fig.; (e) pressed down by (a burden, yoke), bowed under; also, beneath (sb., the feet of a person or an animal) so as to be trodden or in danger of being trodden;—often in fig. context; treden (fortreden, itreden, totredon) ~ fet; ~ fingeres, under the pressure of (someone’s) fingers, to (someone’s) touch; ~ fot [see under-fot adv. (a)]; (f) menaced by (a raised weapon); under the threat or force of (falling blows).

In relationships analogous to those in sense 4a. but with nonliteral objects;—sometimes used in fig. context: (a) under (protection, guardianship, etc.), in or into (someone’s protection, etc.); also, under (confinement, restraint, etc.); ~ derknesse, in the confines of darkness; (b) concealed by (sth.), misrepresented by or as; beneath the outer appearance or manner of (sth.); ~ colour (coverture, heu, liknesse, name, etc.); ~ covert, in an obscure or secretive manner; (c) drenchen ~ the laste deth, rendering L mergens obitu supremo: to submerge (all creation) in the final end [with ref. to floodwaters]; (d) ~ title, rendering L sub ore: in (someone’s) presence, before the countenance (of sb.).

In misc. idiomatic phrases with parts of the body as objects in nonliteral uses or in expressions of nonliteral relationships: (a) ~ bak [OE under-bæc], to the back, back; (b) ~ eien (sighte of eien), presented to (someone’s) eyes, before (someone’s) eyes, in plain sight; (c) ~ fet, under someone’s dominion, in or into subjugation; ~ fot [see under-fot adv. (b)]; putten ~ fet, to overcome (sb.); triumph over (persecution); (d) ~ honde, in or into the power, control, dominion, etc. (of sb.); also, under (someone’s) supervision, in the care (of sb.) [cp. under-honde adv. 1.]; (e) ~ brest, in the privacy of (one’s) own thoughts, in (one’s) bosom as a secret; ~ ribbe, in the heart, in spirit.

In misc. idiomatic phrases with concrete objects in nonliteral uses: (a) ~ banere, under the military leadership (of sb.), under (someone’s) command; also in fig. context; also, in combat [quot. c1475]; ~ sheld (targe), in battle, under arms; ~ standard, at the command (of one’s lady, who is presented as a feudal overlord); (b) ~ sword, under (someone’s) military domination; also, by military power [2nd quot.]; (c) ~ yerde (wonde), under (someone’s) discipline, subject to punishment at someone’s hands; (d) ~ fot-shamel (the stol of fet), at (someone’s) footstool in a posture of humility or in a position of abasement; (e) ~ sele (signet, token), under the authority attested by a seal, etc., with the authenticating seal, mark, etc. (of sb.); also, in a document bearing the seal (of sb.); (f) ~ keie, under lock and key, secured by locks; in a place accessible only by means of a key; (g) ~ rother, ?with ref. to tidal currents: in two layers or courses flowing in opposite directions [see rother n.(1)]; (h) ~ seile, of a ship: with sails set, under way; ben crossed ~ seile, to have the sails prepared for setting out; (i) ~ (the) wind, ?in a position of shelter from the wind, on the side away from the wind; ?downwind.

In phrases with a person or personal pronoun as object: (a) behind the back of (one’s lawful spouse), in adultery against; (b) gon ~, to deceive or betray (sb.); (c) ~ witnesse, under the attestation of a witness, on someone’s sworn testimony.

With ref. to a standard: (a) less than (a certain amount), fewer than (a certain number); lesser than (sth.) in quantity, degree, etc.; also, at less than (a certain amount) [quots. 1482 and a1500]; ~ the age of, less than (a certain number of years) in age; (b) below (sb. or sth.) in status, worth, etc., lower than.

With ref. to relative postion in a hierarchical system: (a) next to (sb., God) in rank, dignity, honor, etc., subordinate to, after; also, under the orders of (sb.), with (sb.) as one’s sovereign, commander, mentor, instructor, etc.; also in fig. context; also [quot. a1425 MChristi], placed below (something created);— ?with punning ref. to sense 3.(c); ordeined ~ pouere, ?invested with a responsible position under an authority; (b) subordinate in generality to (sth. naming or implying a category), included under or within; fallen ~, to be classifiable under (a heading).

(a) In subjection to (sb.), in or into the power of (sb., the devil, sin), under (someone’s) domination; also, in submission to (power wielded by sb. or God); also in fig. context; (b) bound by (a code of law, set of rules, doctrine, etc.), governed by, subject to the sanctions of; also, submissive or obedient to (sb., the authority vested in sb.); also, in accordance with (a law, the church’s teachings, etc.), in respect for the authority of (a papal pronouncement); boren ~ wedlok, born within a proper union; legitimate; (c) under (the control, care, or supervision of sb., God); also, under (medical care of sb.), under (someone’s treatment); also, under the management or supervision of (sb.), in the hands of; charged to the responsibility of (sb.); (d) with moderately diminished force: bound to (a prescribed way of doing sth., a model, etc.), in accordance with (a specific guideline); ~ this (the same, that manere of) forme; (e) with reduced semantic force: ~ crist (god, the trone of god, the trinite), under Christ’s authority, in God’s world, anywhere, at all; ~ heven, ?in heaven; ?everywhere.

(a) Subject to the imposition of (a state or condition), with (servitude, obedience, submission, etc.) imposed on one, in a state of (servitude, etc.); (b) subject to the imposition of (correction, judgment, a penalty, curse, etc.), in or into a condition or of a nature to incur (wrath, etc.), liable to; ~ charge, subject to (taxation); ~ peine, on pain (of some consequence); (c) subject to the imposition of (stipulations, conditions, requirements, etc.), with (conditions, etc.) in effect; putten ~ a dai, to impose (on sb.) the obligation to resolve a dispute by a certain deadline; (d) ?with (a literal interpretation) imposed, taken literally; (e) in asseveration: ~ attestacion of goddes dom, ?as God is my witness.

Subject to the effects of (sth.), under the influence of (sth.), with (sth.) having an effect; also, affected positively by (sth.), with the help of.

(a) With the authority vested in (someone’s name), in (the name of sb. or a god); (b) with power or capability supplied by (God's or man's help, etc.), by virtue of; also, within (the capacity of sb.) [quot. c1450]; (c) with diminished force: by means of (sth.), through the agency of, by or through.

In misc. phrases, with reduced semantic content: (a) ~ name, by (a certain) name, under; (b) ~ (feue, these, etc.) wordes, ~ light reules and wordes, in (few, these, etc.) words, in simple explanations; ~ silence, without mention, unmentioned [= L sub silentio]; ~ stevene, ?with voice; sheuen ~ certain lettres, ?to spell out (all the complexities of a topic); taught ~, presented in (a certain number of sections or topics); (c) comprehenden (setten, sheuen) ~, to represent or signify (sth.) by (sth. else).

In temporal and quasi-temporal uses: (a) within (a certain period of time), during; also, in or in the space of (a specified period); (b) within a period of time demarcated by the reign of (sb.), during the time of [some quots. could also be construed as sense 8a.(c)]; (c) within a period of time demarcated by (the ascendancy of a planet or the transit of the sun through a zodiacal sign), in (a sign); (d) within a period of time demarcated by (the existence of a particular condition or an event), amidst; ~ this (that, etc.), during this action, during these events; in the meantime, meanwhile.

In misc. uses conveying the sense of inclusion: (a) ~ alle, altogether, in all; nought ~ alle, nothing whatsoever, nothing at all; (b) ~ on, together, as one; (c) among (them, a group of people, you all);—usu. with pron. as obj.; ~ hire and ~ me, ~ theim bothe, between the two of us (them).

Gram. The preposition ‘under’.

In surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.227].