under

1 preposition

1 BELOW directly below something, or covered by it: Write your name under your picture. | She was carrying her handbag under her arm. | I could see something glittering under the water.

2 LESS THAN less than a particular number, amount, age, or price: gifts for under ten dollars | nursery education for children under five | I spend just under four hours a day seeing customers. | be under age (=not be old enough to drink, have sex etc legally): You're not allowed in the bar if you're under age.

3 be under construction/discussion/attack etc to be in the process of being constructed, discussed etc: The possibility of replacing the computers remains under consideration. | The National Health Service is very much under attack from the Tory government.

4 CONTROLLED being controlled by a particular leader, government, system etc: foreign policy under Kohl | The Los Angeles Philharmonic is under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen.

5 LAW/AGREEMENT according to a particular agreement, law etc: an exemption under Article 85

6 AFFECTED BY being affected by particular conditions or situations: She's been under a lot of pressure at work. | driving under the influence of alcohol | The solicitor has said that under no circumstances must I pay it.

7 be under (sb's) control/influence/spell etc if someone or something is under someone's control etc, they control or influence it: I'm glad to see that you have everything under control. | She seems to be coming under Gina's influence.

8 CLASS/GROUP if an object, book, name etc is under a particular letter, list, system etc, that is where you can find it or that is the group it belongs to: The baby's records are filed under the mother's last name.

9 POSITION AT WORK if people are under someone in authority, they work for that person and have a lower position: Guerrero works under him directly.

10 be under an impression/delusion to believe something is true, especially when you are wrong in believing it: I was under the impression that he was going on vacation that week.

11 be under anaesthesia/sedation/treatment etc to be treated by a doctor using a particular drug or method

12 DIFFERENT NAME if you write something under another name, you write it using a name that is not your real name: Eric Blair wrote under the name of George Orwell.

USAGE NOTE: UNDER WORD CHOICE: under, underneath, below, beneath Under is the most common word used to talk about one thing being placed or moving directly under another, or being covered by it: I found it under the table/cushion. | The railway runs directly under the main street. | Just push the note under the door. | The police all wear bullet-proof vests under their shirts. Underneath is often used instead of under to slightly emphasize the idea of covering, touching, or hiding: He keeps his money in a secret safe underneath the floorboards. | I wonder what's underneath that cover? | a creature that makes its nest underneath desert rocks You use under to talk about something that is covered by something that is also all around it, but you would not use underneath so often in this way Sea lions can travel much faster under water. Beneath can also be used in all these ways, but is a little old-fashioned or literary. In a romantic story, for example, you might read: They strolled hand in hand beneath the summer moon. Below suggests that one thing is in a lower position than another, perhaps a little to one side or in front: Jed and Jackie live in the apartment below us. | There was a lake below the village, further down the valley. 2 adverb

1 in or to a place below something or covered by it: He crawled under the blankets.

2 less in age, number, amount etc than the age etc mentioned: Children twelve and under must be accompanied by an adult.