释义 |
▪ I. ˈunderset, n. [under-1 5 b, 6 a.] †1. Sc. = undersettle. Obs. rare.
1509Reg. Privy Seal Scotl. 285/1 To be haldin and to be had to him and his assignais,..subtenentis and undersettis under thaim in all or in parte. Ibid. 288/1. 2. Mining. A lower vein of ore.
1747Hooson Miner's Dict. S 2 b, These Levells are called Sets, as the first is the Top-Set, the second which is found out by Sinking through the Deadness, is called the Under-Set. 3. An undercurrent. (See first quot.)
1815Burney Falconer's Marine Dict., Under-set, a motion of the water beneath the surface, produced by the wind impelling the upper part directly upon the shore of a bay, whereby the water..necessarily takes a direction contrary to the wind,..below the surface. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 706 The resaca, or underset, is particularly dangerous on those beaches where heavy surf prevails. ▪ II. underˈset, v. [under-1 4 a, etc. Cf. MDu. ondersetten (Du. -zetten), MLG. undersetten, MHG. undersetzen (G. unter-), MDa. undersætte.] 1. trans. To support or strengthen by means of something (esp. of the nature of a post or prop) placed beneath; to prop up.
c1220Bestiary 640 Ðe hunte haueð biholden ðis,..Saȝeð ðis tre and under-set, o ðe wise ðat he mai bet. a1225Ancr. R. 254 A treou þet wule uallen, me underset hit mid on oðer treou, & hit stont feste. 13..Seuyn Sages (W.) 2101 We schulle the ymage so undersette, That we ne schal hit nothing lette. 1398Trevisa Barth De P.R. xvii. clxiv. (Bodl. MS.), Ofte it nedeþ to vndersette it wiþ a pelere or a poste. c1425St. Eliz. of Spalbeck in Anglia VIII. 115/28 Hir sistres..lifte vp and vndir-sette hir..wiþ two piloues. 1477–9Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 90, ij postes of tymbir to vndirsette the kechyng. 1513More Rich. III (1883) 9 The kynge liftinge vppe himself and vndersette with pillowes. 1555W. Watreman Fardle Facions ii. x. 214 Thei make theim..rounde cotages of wickres, or of Felte vndersette with smothe poles. 1600Surflet Countrie Farme i. x. 48 He shall prepare props..to vnder set his vines. 1678[Bp. J. Williams] Hist. Gunp. Treason 22 A Bag of Powder..that they underset the Pan with. 1841Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. IV. 379/1 The base..has been underset with two pillars of solid masonry. 1842Francis Dict. Arts s.v., The Custom House, London, was underset some years ago, a new foundation having been made to it without the superstructure being disturbed. absol.1538in Lett. Suppression Monast. (Camden) 181, x of them hewed the walles abowte, amonge the whych ther were 3 carpentars: thiese made proctes to undersette wher the other cutte away. b. To serve as a support to. Also absol. rare.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 284 Þe hil was so hey, as men hit leet [v.r. lette], Þat heuen (men seye) hit vnder-feet [v.r. vnder sette]. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 110 Þo boonys þat vndir setten ben clepid ossa mendosa. 1609Daniel Civ. Wars viii. xxvi, She had of fatall Lancaster Seene all the pillars crusht and ruined, That vnder-set it. †c. To support or sustain by assistance. Obs.
1388Wyclif Eccl. iv. 10 If oon fallith doun, he schal be vndurset [L. fulcietur] of the tothere. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xii. ix. (Tollem. MS.), Whan þe fader and þe moder wexeþ olde and feble, þan þe ȝonge crowes under-setteþ hem and rereþ hem with hire owen wynges. d. To act upon, furnish, fasten, etc., with something placed beneath. rare.
a1547Surrey æneid ii. 50 Capys..wild it to drown, or vnderset with flame The suspect present of the Grekes deceit. 1599Minutes Archdeaconry Colchester (MS.) fol. 238 He and they did vndersett the churchdore. c1618Moryson Itin. iv. 381 The ringe of her dore is all Couered with tape or linnen cloth (and in some places vndersett with a small sticke). 2. fig. To support, sustain, or strengthen.
1395Purvey Remonstr. (1851) 86 Bi here owne statute,..vndirset with ful strong oth and peynis. a1470H. Parker Dives & Pauper (W. de W. 1496) A v b/2 Whan youth is vndersette with richesse, & is at his owne rule without drede of punysshyng. 1538Tindale Exp. 1st Ep. John v. 72 Yf oure soules be truely vnderset wyth sure hope. 1579W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 38 Vnles the Lord vnderset them, their fall is..greeuous. 1605Raleigh Introd. Hist. Eng. (1693) 74 Our most renowned Kings have been best underset with Counsel. 1670Cudworth Serm. 1 John ii. 3–4 (ed. 2) 185 If we would but vnderset it [truth] with the Holinesse of our Hearts. 1871L. Morris Songs Two Worlds, Wand. Soul xxxiii, The archetypes which underset the world With one broad perfect Law. 3. To set or place (a thing) under something else.
a1340Hampole Psalter xxxvi. 25 When a rightwis has fallen he sall not be hurt, for lord vndirsettis his hand. 1388Wyclif Gen. xlix. 15 Isachar..vndirsettide his schuldre to bere. 1535Coverdale 1 Kings vii. 30 Vpon the foure corners there were proppes molten,..vnderset vnto the kettell. 1587Golding De Mornay xxi. 376 Iulian the Apostata did vnderset his shoulder, to shore vp the seruice of the false Gods. 1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vi. xxiii. §9. 113 His monyes, whereon he sometimes formed a Trophy..vndersetting the word Vict. Brit. 1898E. Glanville Kloof Bride xvii, While Miles pressed the rock forward, Hans kept it from swinging back by undersetting a stone. †b. To place in subjection. Obs.—1
1422Yonge Secreta Secret. 146 If þou wilt submyt or vndreset al thyngis to the, submyt thy-selfe to reysone. †4. Sc. To beset. Obs.—1
c1470Henry Wallace ix. 796 With Sotheroun sone we sall be wndirset. 5. To sublet.
1804M. Edgeworth Ennui viii, These middle-men will underset the land, and live in idleness. Hence ˈunderset ppl. a.
1833–4J. Phillips Geol. in Encycl. Metrop. (1845) VI. 588 In Swaledale the united thickness of the underset chert and underset lime..is nearly constant. 1865Livingstone Zambesi xvii. 344 It contrives to pop its underset mouth directly over the unlucky victim. |