underlie
/ˌʌn.dɚˈlaɪ/ verb C1- To lie in a position directly beneath something.
- To lie under or beneath. · A stratum of clay underlies the surface gravel.
- To serve as a basis of; form the foundation of. · a doctrine underlying a theory
- To be subject to; be liable to answer, as a charge or challenge.
- To underlay.
He/she/it underlies · Past underlay · Past participle underlain · -ing form underlying
Verb forms
- Base form
- underlie
- He/she/it
- underlies
- Past
- underlay
- Past participle
- underlain
- -ing form
- underlying
An irregular verb: learn its past and past participle by heart.
From the library
Breaking a bad habit requires a slightly different approach, but the underlying principle remains the same.
This temporary escape mechanism provides a fleeting sense of accomplishment, yet it ultimately intensifies the underlying stress.
When students type notes on a laptop, they often transcribe lectures verbatim without genuinely processing the underlying concepts and complex ideas.
The underlying theory suggested that if employees could see each other continuously, they would communicate more effectively and share innovative ideas.
Learn underlie in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.