underkeep

English

Etymology

From under- +‎ keep.

Pronunciation

Audio (US): (file)

Verb

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

(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.
(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

Noun

underkeep (plural underkeeps)

An underground reserve.
- 2007, Jeffrey Overstreet, Auralia's Colors:
  The earth was swallowing Abascar. "The Underkeeps caved in."
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.
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.
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