underlain

Variant of underlie

underlie definition

under·lie (-lī′)

transitive verb underlay -·lay′, underlain -·lain′, underlying -·ly′·ing

  1. to lie under or beneath trusses underlie the roof
  2. to be the basis for; form the foundation of
  3. Finance to have priority over (another) in order of claim, as a bond

Etymology: ME underlien < OE underlicgan

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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