| under | In a lower, subject, or subordinate condition; in subjection; used chiefly in a few idiomatic phrases; as, to bring under, to reduce to subjection; to subdue; to keep under, to keep in subjection; to control; to go under, to be unsuccessful; to fail. "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection." (1 Cor. Ix. 27) "The minstrel fell, but the foeman's chain Could not bring his proud soul under." (Moore) Under is often used in composition with a verb to indicate lowness or inferiority in position or degree, in the act named by the verb; as, to underline; to undermine; to underprop. 1. Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered; lower than; beneath; opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the carriage is under cover; a cellar extends under the whole house. "Fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into wells under water, will keep long." (Bacon) "Be gathered now, ye waters under heaven, Into one place." (Milton) 2. Hence, in many figurative uses which may be classified as follows. Denoting relation to some thing or person that is superior, weighs upon, oppresses, bows down, governs, directs, influences powerfully, or the like, in a relation of subjection, subordination, obligation, liability, or the like; as, to travel under a heavy load; to live under extreme oppression; to have fortitude under the evils of life; to have patience under pain, or under misfortunes; to behave like a Christian under reproaches and injuries; under the pains and penalties of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity. "Both Jews and Gentiles . . . Are all under sin." (Rom. Iii. 9) "That led the embattled seraphim to war Under thy conduct." (Milton) "Who have their provand Only for bearing burdens, and sore blows For sinking under them." (Shak) Denoting relation to something that exceeds in rank or degree, in number, size, weight, age, or the like; in a relation of the less to the greater, of inferiority, or of falling short. "Three sons he dying left under age." (Spenser) "Medicines take effect sometimes under, and sometimes above, the natural proportion of their virtue." (Hooker) "There are several hundred parishes in England under twenty pounds a year." (Swift) "It was too great an honor for any man under a duke." (Addison) Hence, it sometimes means at, with, or for, less than; as, he would not sell the horse under sixty dollars. "Several young men could never leave the pulpit under half a dozen conceits." (Swift) Denoting relation to something that comprehends or includes, that represents or designates, that furnishes a cover, pretext, pretense, or the like; as, he betrayed him under the guise of friendship; Morpheus is represented under the figure of a boy asleep. "A crew who, under names of old renown . . . Abused Fanatic Egypt." (Milton) "Mr. Duke may be mentioned under the double capacity of a poet and a divine." (Felton) "Under this head may come in the several contests and wars betwixt popes and the secular princes." (C. Leslie) Less specifically, denoting the relation of being subject, of undergoing regard, treatment, or the like; as, a bill under discussion. "Abject and lost, lay these, covering the flood, Under amazement of their hideous change." (Milton) Under arms. <medicine> In a condition to make progress; having started. Origin: AS. Under, prep. & adv.; akin to OFries. Under, OS. Undar, D. Onder, G. Unter, OHG. Untar, Icel. Undir, Sw. & Dan. Under, Goth. Undar, L. Infra below, inferior lower, Skr. Adhas below. Cf. Inferior. Lower in position, intensity, rank, or degree; subject; subordinate; generally in composition with a noun, and written with or without the hyphen; as, an undercurrent; undertone; underdose; under-garment; underofficer; undersheriff. <zoology> Under covert, one of the feathers situated beneath the bases of the quills in the wings and tail of a bird. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| underachievement | Performance, usually in school work, poorer than that predicted from aptitude and/or intelligence testing. (12 Dec 1998) |
| underachiever | One who manifests underachievement. (05 Mar 2000) |
| underbite | A nontechnical term applied to mandibular underdevelopment or to excessive maxillary development. (05 Mar 2000) |
| underbrush | Shrubs, small trees, and the like, in a wood or forest, growing beneath large trees; undergrowth. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| underclay | <geology> A stratum of clay lying beneath a coal bed, often containing the roots of coal plants, especially the Stigmaria. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| underclothes | Clothes worn under others, especially those worn next the skin for warmth. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| undercut | 1. That portion of a tooth that lies between the survey line (height of contour) and the gingivae. 2. The contour of a cross-section of a residual ridge or dental arch which would prevent the insertion of a denture. 3. The contour of a flasking stone which interlocks in such a way as to prevent the separation of the parts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| undercut gauge | A device, used with a surveyor, to precisely locate areas for the placement of the retentive components of clasps when designing removable partial dentures. (05 Mar 2000) |
| underdrive pacing | Electrical stimulation of the heart at a rate lower than that of an existing tachycardia; designed to capture the heart between beats, i.e., to interrupt a reentry pathway in order to terminate the tachycardia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| underfurrow | To cover as under a furrow; to plow in; as, to underfurrow seed or manure. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| undergo | 1. To go or move below or under. 2. To be subjected to; to bear up against; to pass through; to endure; to suffer; to sustain; as, to undergo toil and fatigue; to undergo pain, grief, or anxiety; to undergothe operation of amputation; food in the stomach undergoes the process of digestion. "Certain to undergo like doom." (Milton) 3. To be the bearer of; to possess. "Their virtues else, be they as pure as grace, As infinite as man may undergo." (Shak) 4. To undertake; to engage in; to hazard. "I have moved already Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans To undergo with me an enterprise." (Shak) 5. To be subject or amenable to; to underlie. "Claudio undergoes my challenge." (Shak) Origin: AS. Undergan. See Under, and Go. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| undergrove | A grove of shrubs or low trees under taller ones. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| undergrowth | That which grows under trees; specifically, shrubs or small trees growing among large trees. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| underlapping | <cell culture> Possible outcome of collision between two cells in culture, particularly head side collision: one cell crawls underneath the other, retaining contact with the substratum and obtaining traction from contact with the rigid substratum (unlike overlapping, where traction must be gained on the dorsal surface of the other cell). (18 Nov 1997) |
| area under curve | A statistical means of summarizing information from a series of measurements on one individual. It is frequently used in clinical pharmacology where the auc from serum levels can be interpreted as the total uptake of whatever has been administered. As a plot of the concentration of a drug against time, after a single dose of medicine, producing a standard shape curve, it is a means of comparing the bioavailability of the same drug made by different companies. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| area under the curve | A measure of how much of a drug reaches the bloodstream in a set period of time, usually 24 hours. AUC is calculated by plotting drug blood concentration at various times during a 24-hour or longer period and then measuring the area under the curve between 0 and 24 hours as shown in the figure to the right. (09 Oct 1997) |