underline
[ verb uhn-der-lahyn, uhn-der-lahyn; noun uhn-der-lahyn ]
/ verb ˈʌn dərˌlaɪn, ˌʌn dərˈlaɪn; noun ˈʌn dərˌlaɪn /
verb (used with object), un·der·lined, un·der·lin·ing.
to mark with a line or lines underneath; underscore.
to indicate the importance of; emphasize, as by stressing or italicizing.
noun
Printing. a caption under an illustration.
a line drawn under something; an underscore.
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Nearby words
underlayer, underlayment, underleaf, underlet, underlie, underline, underlinen, underling, underlit, underlying, undermanned
Related formsun·der·lin·ing, un·der·lin·e·a·tion [uhn-der-lin-ee-ey-shuh n] /ˌʌn dərˌlɪn iˈeɪ ʃən/, nounun·der·lin·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for underline
British Dictionary definitions for underline
underline
verb (ˌʌndəˈlaɪn) (tr)
to put a line under
to state forcibly; emphasize or reinforce
noun (ˈʌndəˌlaɪn)
a line underneath, esp under written matter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for underline
underline
1721, from under + line (v.). Cf. Dutch onderlijnen. Related: Underlined; underlining. The noun is attested from 1888.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper