underneath1 preposition, adverbunderneath2 noun
underneathun‧der‧neath1 /ˌʌndəˈniːθ $ -ər-/ ●●● S2 preposition, adverb 
WORD ORIGINunderneath
Origin:
Old English underneothan, from under + neothan ‘below’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- She seems aggressive, but underneath she's pretty shy.
- The stream actually runs underneath the building.
- There's a picture with a short article underneath.
THESAURUS
something that is under something else has that thing directly above it or covering it: · The pen was under the desk.· She had a T-shirt on under her sweater.
in a lower position than something else, though not always directly under it: · From the cliffs we could barely see the people on the beach below us.· His apartment is below ours on the left.
under – used especially to emphasize that something covers, touches, or hides something: · The girls wear shorts underneath their cheerleading skirts.· I found the book underneath the sofa.
formal under or at a lower level: · They strolled hand in hand beneath the summer moon.· The water lies just beneath the surface of the earth.
Longman Language Activatorwhen someone thinks or feels something but hides it used to say what someone's real thoughts and feelings are when they are pretending to think or feel something else: · Neither of us really wanted to stay in Texas, but we couldn't leave his family at that time.· She didn't complain, but I knew that really she was quite fed up with us all.· Don't trust James -- all he's really interested in is your money.
if you think or feel something deep down , that is what you really think or feel even though you may not say or show it: · He pretends he doesn't care, but deep down I know he's very upset.· I kept pushing the team, but deep down I think I knew we wouldn't win.
if someone is a particular kind of person underneath it all , this is what they are really like: · He likes to show people his tough side, but underneath it all, he's a decent person.
if you feel something inside , that is the way you really feel, even though you do not show it: · I wish I knew what he was feeling inside.· These kids seem so aggressive, but inside they're terrified.
under something such as clothes, skin, or paint · I was wearing a thick sweater under my coat, but I was still cold.· Scabies is a disease caused by a tiny insect that lays its eggs just underneath the skin.
under a layer of something - used in formal writing or in literature: · The boy lay trembling beneath the bedclothes.· The inscription was hidden beneath a layer of dirt and grime.
under something that is directly above something that is under something else has that thing directly above it: · The pen fell under the desk.· If there's no one at home, just shove the letter under the door.· A small dog scampered into the room and dived under the table.· We stood close together under his umbrella, trying to keep dry.
directly under another object and close to it: · We found your keys in the sofa underneath a cushion.· The cats like to sleep underneath the wood stove when it's cold.· Sheets of newspaper had been laid underneath the carpet.· A pipe was leaking, so we put a bucket underneath to catch the drips.
directly under something - used especially in formal writing or in literature: · The ship passed beneath the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay.· As he walked across the hall, the boards creaked beneath his feet.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
I think he’s a genuinely nice guy underneath it all.
1directly under another object or covered by it: I think he’s a genuinely nice guy underneath it all. He got out of the car and looked underneath. It’s near where the railway goes underneath the road. She was wearing a smart jacket with a T-shirt underneath. Her blonde hair was hidden underneath a baseball cap.► see thesaurus at under2on the lower surface of something: The car was rusty underneath. A number had been painted underneath the table.3used to say what someone’s character is really like when their behaviour shows a different character: She seems confident, but she’s really quite shy underneath. I think he’s a genuinely nice guy underneath it all.underneath1 preposition, adverbunderneath2 noun
underneathunderneath2 noun British English the underneath the bottom surface of something, or the part of something that is below or under something else SYN the underside: We need to paint the underneath with a rust preventer.