underbear

English

Etymology

From Middle English underberen (“to support”), from Old English underberan (“to support, endure”), equivalent to under- +‎ bear.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌʌndə(ɹ)ˈbɛə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)

Verb

underbear (third-person singular simple present underbears, present participle underbearing, simple past underbore or (obsolete) underbare, past participle underborne)

1. To support, endure.
2. (transitive) To line, guard or face a material, especially cloth.
   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:

     cloth of gold underborne with blue tinsel

Derived terms

• underbearer