underlie
Academic Word List, sublist 6.
About 2.02 uses per million words.
Meaning
- verb To lie in a position directly beneath something. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- verb To lie under or beneath.
A stratum of clay underlies the surface gravel.
- verb To serve as a basis of; form the foundation of.
a doctrine underlying a theory
- verb To be subject to; be liable to answer, as a charge or challenge.
- verb To underlay.
Similar words
underpin trigger guide base basis support origin sustain motivate enliven
Often followed by
the all this a them these and it our their
Word family
underlain underlay underlies underlying
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