01 v. t. To lie under; to rest beneath; to be situated under; as, a stratum of clay underlies the surface gravel.
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1.
To lie under; to rest beneath; to be situated under; as, a stratum of clay underlies the surface gravel.
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2.
To be at the basis of; to form the foundation of; to support; as, a doctrine underlying a theory.
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3.
To be subject or amenable to.[R.]“The knight of Ivanhoe . . . underlies the challenge of Brian der Bois Guilbert.” — Sir W. Scott.