Dictionary

underpin en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˌɐn.dəˈpɪn/ (Australia)
• audio Queensland
• (US) audio
• /ˌʌn.dəˈpɪn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɐn.dəˈpən/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˌʌn.dɚˈpɪn/ (Canada, General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *-tér Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *h₂én Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi ? Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- Proto-Germanic *pinnaz Proto-West Germanic *pinn Old English pinn Middle English pinne English pin English underpin From under- + pin.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To support from below with props or masonry.
   • You should underpin the mine roof to prevent further collapse.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To give support to; to form a basis of; to corroborate.
   • The operator said the results were underpinned by a 16% increase in Q3 sales from North America. 2019 November 6, “Eurostar reports another increase in passengers”, in Rail, page 25:
   • Since Rupert Murdoch famously bet the farm on Premier League football to rescue Sky TV in 1991, it has been the catnip that has underpinned subscriber loyalty and, even in a far more complicated media landscape, is seen as so vital as to be worth almost any price. 2016 October 24, Owen Gibson, “Is the unthinkable happening – are people finally switching the football off?”, in The Guardian, London:
   • Public confidence in politicians must underpin our democracy.

Forms

Deriveds

underpinner

Synonyms

underlie

Translations (50)

bg укрепвам (To support from below with props or masonry) · es sustentar (To give support to) · it sorreggere (To give support to) · oc estançonar (To support from below with props or masonry) · fr étayer (To support from below with props or masonry) · nl funderen (To support from below with props or masonry) · de stützen (To support from below with props or masonry) · fi pönkittää (To give support to) · fr supporter (To give support to) · es apuntalar (To support from below with props or masonry) · cs podepřít (To support from below with props or masonry) · fi tukea (To give support to) · de untermauern (To give support to) · nl schragen (To give support to) · oc piejar (To support from below with props or masonry) · sv stödja (To give support to) · pt embasar (To give support to) · pt sustentar (To give support to) · de unterstützen (To give support to) · ru подде́рживать (To give support to) · sv stödja (To support from below with props or masonry) · pt respaldar (To give support to) · nl dragen (To give support to) · pl podtrzymywać (To support from below with props or masonry) · es respaldar (To give support to) · cmn 支撐 /支撑 (To give support to) · fi pönkittää (To support from below with props or masonry) · it informare (To give support to) · nl ondersteunen (To give support to) · nl schragen (To support from below with props or masonry) · pt escorar (To support from below with props or masonry) · fi tukea (To support from below with props or masonry) · de stützen (To give support to) · pl podtrzymywać (To give support to) · sv stötta (To support from below with props or masonry) · it sostenere (To support from below with props or masonry) · fr soutenir (To give support to) · ru усиливать (To support from below with props or masonry) · bg поддържам (To give support to) · oc apevar (To give support to) · ru укреплять (To support from below with props or masonry) · it sostenere (To give support to) · es sustentar (To support from below with props or masonry) · fr étayer (To give support to) · bg подпирам (To support from below with props or masonry) · de untermauern (To support from below with props or masonry) · cs podepřít (To give support to) · it sorreggere (To support from below with props or masonry) · pt fundamentar (To give support to) · sv stötta (To give support to)