2 ADJ If you describe someone as undemanding , you mean they are easy to be with and do not ask other people to do a great deal for them. □ …an undemanding companion.
un|demo|crat|ic /ʌ ndeməkræ t I k/ ADJ A system, process, or decision that is undemocratic is one that is controlled or made by one person or a small number of people, rather than by all the people involved. □ …the undemocratic rule of the former political establishment. □ Opponents denounced the decree as undemocratic and unconstitutional.
un|de|mon|stra|tive /ʌ nd I mɒ nstrət I v/ ADJ Someone who is undemonstrative does not often show affection. □ Lady Ainslie is an undemonstrative woman who rarely touches even her own son.
un|de|ni|able /ʌ nd I na I əb ə l/ ADJ If you say that something is undeniable , you mean that it is definitely true. □ Her charm is undeniable. □ The undeniable fact is that almost everyone will pay less tax. ● un|de|ni|ably /ʌ nd I na I əbli/ ADV □ Bringing up a baby is undeniably hard work.
un|der ◆◆◆ /ʌ ndə r / In addition to the uses shown below, under is also used in phrasal verbs such as 'go under' and 'knuckle under'. 1 PREP If a person or thing is under something, they are at a lower level than that thing, and may be covered or hidden by it. □ …swimming in the pool or lying under an umbrella. □ Under a wide shelf that holds coffee jars stands a pile of magazines. □ She buried her head under the covers, pretending to be asleep. □ A path runs under the trees.
2 PREP In a place such as a sea, river, or swimming pool, if someone or something is under the water, they are fully in the water and covered by it. □ They said he'd been held under the water and drowned. □ Goldfish were swimming lazily in a group just under the surface. ● ADV [ADV after v] Under is also an adverb. □ When the water was up to his neck, a hand came from behind and pushed his head under.
3 PREP If you go under something, you move from one side to the other of something that is at a higher level than you. □ He went under a brick arch. □ A river boat passed under the bridge.
4 PREP Something that is under a layer of something, especially clothing, is covered by that layer. □ I was wearing two sweaters under the green army jacket. □ It was hard to see the colours under the layer of dust.
5 PREP You can use under before a noun to indicate that a person or thing is being affected by something or is going through a particular process. □ …fishermen whose livelihoods are under threat. □ I'm rarely under pressure and my co-workers are always nice to me. □ Firefighters said they had the blaze under control. □ He was rushed to court yesterday under armed guard.
6 PREP If something happens under particular circumstances or conditions, it happens when those circumstances or conditions exist. □ His best friend was killed by police under extremely questionable circumstances. □ Under normal conditions, only about 20 to 40 per cent of vitamin E is absorbed.
7 PREP If something happens under a law, agreement, or system, it happens because that law, agreement, or system says that it should happen. □ Under law, your employer has the right to hire a temporary worker to replace you. □ Under the Constitution, you cannot be tried twice for the same crime.
8 PREP If something happens under a particular person or government, it happens when that person or government is in power. □ There would be no new taxes under his leadership. □ …the realities of life under a brutal dictatorship.
9 PREP If you study or work under a particular person, that person teaches you or tells you what to do. □ Kiefer was just one of the artists who had studied under Beuys in the early Sixties. □ I am the new manager and you will be working under me.
10 PREP If you do something under a particular name, you use that name instead of your real name. □ Were any of your books published under the name Amanda Fairchild? □ The patient was registered under a false name.
11 PREP You use under to say which section of a list, book, or system something is in. □ This study is described under 'General Diseases of the Eye'. □ 'Where would it be?'—'Filed under C, second drawer down.'
12 PREP If something or someone is under a particular age or amount, they are less than that age or amount. □ …jobs for those under 65. □ Expenditure this year should be just under 15 billion pounds. ● ADV Under is also an adverb. □ …free childminding service for 5's and under.
13 under wraps → see wrap
PREFIX under-
forms words that refer to an amount or value being too low or not enough. For example, if someone is underweight , their weight is lower than it should be.
under|achieve /ʌ ndərətʃiː v/ (underachieves , underachieving , underachieved ) VERB If someone underachieves in something such as school work or a job, they do not perform as well as they could. □ [V ] Some people might think I've underachieved in my job. ● under|achiev|er (underachievers ) N‑COUNT □ He just wanted people to stop calling him disadvantaged, an underachiever.
u n|der a ge also underage
1 ADJ A person who is under age is legally too young to do something, for example to drink alcohol, have sex, or vote. □ Police questioned the owners over how the underage youngster was let in. □ …girls who have babies when they are under age.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Under age activities such as drinking or smoking are carried out by people who are legally too young to do them. □ The town has the top rate of underage pregnancies in Britain.