underlay

American  

[uhn-der-ley, uhn-der-ley] / ˌʌn dərˈleɪ, ˈʌn dərˌleɪ /

verb (used with object)

underlaid, underlaying

1. to lay under or beneath.

2. to provide with something laid underneath; raise or support with something laid underneath.

   The manufacturer underlays the chrome finish with a zinc coating.

3. to extend across the bottom of.

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noun

1. something underlaid.

2. Printing. a piece or pieces of paper put under type or cuts to bring them to the proper height for printing.

underlay British  

verb

1. to place (something) under or beneath

2. to support by something laid beneath

3. to achieve the correct printing pressure all over (a forme block) or to bring (a block) up to type height by adding material, such as paper, to the appropriate areas beneath it

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noun

1. a layer, lining, support, etc, laid underneath something else

2. printing material, such as paper, used to underlay a forme or block

3. felt, rubber, etc, laid beneath a carpet to increase insulation and resilience

Etymology

Origin of underlay

before 900; Middle English underleyen, Old English underlecgan; see under-, lay ¹

Explanation

To underlay a thing is to give it a foundation or support by putting something sturdy under it. Underlay also means to be underneath. Something that underlays something else provides a base for that thing, whether it's the foundation of a building, the paper backing of a decal, or the fundamental ideas of a theory. As a noun, underlay refers to the padding that's laid out under carpet and other kinds of flooring.

Example Sentences

Underlay, un-dėr-lā′, v.t. to lay under or to support by something laid under.—v.i. to incline from the perpendicular.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various