under|tone /ʌ ndə r toʊn/ (undertones )
1 N‑COUNT [in N ] If you say something in an undertone , you say it very quietly. □ 'What d'you think?' she asked in an undertone. □ Well-dressed clients were talking in polite undertones as they ate.
2 N‑COUNT If something has undertones of a particular kind, it suggests ideas or attitudes of this kind without expressing them directly. □ …a witty, racy story with surprisingly serious undertones.
under|took /ʌ ndə r tʊ k/ Undertook is the past tense of undertake .
under|tow /ʌ ndə r toʊ/ (undertows )
1 N‑COUNT If there is an undertow of a feeling, that feeling exists in such a weak form that you are hardly aware of it, but it influences the way you think or behave. □ [+ of ] …an undertow of sadness.
2 N‑COUNT An undertow is a strong current of water that is moving below the surface current and in a different direction to it.
under|used /ʌ ndə r juː zd/ also under-used ADJ Something useful that is underused is not used as much for people's benefit as it could be. □ At present many schools' sports grounds are grossly underused. □ …areas where muscles are underused and underdeveloped. □ …underused land.
under|uti|lized /ʌ ndə r juː t I la I zd/ in BRIT, also use underutilised ADJ [usu ADJ n] Underutilized is a more formal word for underused . □ They had to sell off 10 percent of all underutilized farmland.
under|value /ʌ ndə r væ ljuː/ (undervalues , undervaluing , undervalued ) VERB If you undervalue something or someone, you fail to recognize how valuable or important they are. □ [V n] We must never undervalue freedom. ● under|val|ued ADJ □ Even the best teacher can feel undervalued.
under|wa|ter /ʌ ndə r wɔː tə r /
1 ADV [ADV after v, n ADV ] Something that exists or happens underwater exists or happens below the surface of the sea, a river, or a lake. □ …giant submarines able to travel at high speeds underwater. □ Some stretches of beach are completely underwater at high tide. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Underwater is also an adjective. □ …underwater exploration. □ …a retired underwater photographer.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Underwater devices are specially made so that they can work in water. □ …underwater camera equipment. □ …a pool of clear water lit by underwater lights.
u n|der wa y also underway ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If an activity is under way , it has already started. If an activity gets under way , it starts. □ An investigation is underway to find out how the disaster happened. □ The conference gets under way later today with a debate on the family.
under|wear /ʌ ndə r weə r / N‑UNCOUNT Underwear is clothing such as vests and pants which you wear next to your skin under your other clothes. □ …a couple who went for a late-night swim in their underwear. □ …a change of underwear.
under|weight /ʌ ndəwe I t/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone is underweight , they are too thin, and therefore not healthy. □ Nearly a third of the children were severely underweight.
under|went /ʌ ndə r we nt/ Underwent is the past tense of undergo .
under|whelmed /ʌ ndə r h we lmd/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are underwhelmed by something, you are not impressed or excited by it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ by ] He was underwhelmed by the prospect of meeting the Queen.
under|whelm|ing /ʌ ndə r h we lm I ŋ/ ADJ If you use underwhelming to describe the response or reaction to something, you mean that people were not very impressed or excited by it. [INFORMAL ] □ …the distinctly underwhelming response to their second album.
under|world /ʌ ndə r wɜː r ld/
1 N‑SING [oft N n, n N ] The underworld in a city is the organized crime there and the people who are involved in it. □ Some claim that she still has connections to the criminal underworld. □ …a wealthy businessman with underworld connections.
2 N‑SING In many ancient religions and legends, the underworld is a place under the earth's surface where people go after they die. □ …Persephone, goddess of the underworld.
under|write /ʌ ndə r ra I t/ (underwrites , underwriting , underwrote , underwritten ) VERB If an institution or company underwrites an activity or underwrites the cost of it, they agree to provide any money that is needed to cover losses or buy special equipment, often for an agreed fee. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The government will have to create a special agency to underwrite small business loans.
under|writ|er /ʌ ndə r ra I tə r / (underwriters )
1 N‑COUNT An underwriter is someone whose job involves agreeing to provide money for a particular activity or to pay for any losses that are made. [BUSINESS ] □ If the market will not buy the shares, the underwriter buys them.
2 N‑COUNT An underwriter is someone whose job is to judge the risks involved in certain activities and decide how much to charge for insurance. [BUSINESS ]
un|de|served /ʌ nd I zɜː r vd/ ADJ If you describe something such as a reaction, treatment, or result as undeserved , you mean that the person who experiences it has not earned it and should not really have it. □ Douglas has an undeserved reputation for being dull and dry. □ Jim's treatment was harsh and undeserved.
un|de|sir|able /ʌ nd I za I ə rəb ə l/ (undesirables )
1 ADJ If you describe something or someone as undesirable , you do not want them or you think they are harmful. □ We have come to view sweating as an undesirable and socially unacceptable activity. □ A large group of undesirable strangers crashed her party.