underkeep

English

Etymology

From under- +‎ keep.

Pronunciation

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Verb

underkeep (third-person singular simple present underkeeps, present participle underkeeping, simple past and past participle underkept)

1. (transitive) To keep under or in subjection; subdue; suppress.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     Like as a fire, the which in hollow caue / Hath long bene vnderkept, and downe supprest, / With murmurous disdaine doth inly raue […]

   • 1865, The farmer's magazine, page 276:

     It is not economy to overwork or underkeep, or in any wise neglect the farm horse?

   • 1967, Rudolf Augstein, Der Spiegel: Volume 21, Issues 19-23:

     [...] how running himself our President underkeeps with such high animals how the british Queen in Her Majesty's own language.

2. (transitive) To keep or maintain inadequately or below standard.
   • 2004, Let's go: India & Nepal, 2004 - Page 191, Let's Go, Inc:

     Compared to Colva and Benaulim, Palolem 's accommodations are overpriced and underkept — expect to pay Rs200 in season for the privilege of crashing in a charmless double and using a common bathroom outside.

   • 2011, Marie Puissant, University of Wisconsin off the record:

     Most houses on Oakland Ave. have large basements that are underkept.

Derived terms

• underkeeper
• underkeeping

Noun

underkeep (plural underkeeps)

1. An underground reserve.
   • 2007, Jeffrey Overstreet, Auralia's Colors:

     The earth was swallowing Abascar. "The Underkeeps caved in."

2. A keep or storage space located beneath the foundation of a structure; cellar.
   • 1907, Léonard Archbutt, Richard Mountford Deeley, Lubrication and lubricants:

     [...] located in the bottom of the driving-box cellars (underkeeps), a perforated plate being used between the axle and the cake of grease.

3. Any storage space or reservoir placed below another object.
   • 1951, Railway gazette international, volume 94:

     They have sliding underkeeps of ample oil capacity with pad lubrication and the underkeeps are supplied with oil direct from a mechanical lubricator.

4. An underkeeper, guardian, or custodian.
   • 1886, John Philip Hore, The history of Newmarket:

     [...] rooms taken up by Mr. Newton one of his Ma^ts Gent ushers for the placing of the Kings Ma^ts wardrobe stuffe for the space of three weeks at Newmarkett To Robert Ford underkeep of his Ma^ts House at Newmarkett in considracon of the want [...]

Anagrams

• keep under