Dictionary

underwrite en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ʌndəˈɹaɪt/
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈʌndəɹaɪt/

Etymology

From Middle English underwriten, from Old English underwrītan (“to write at the foot of, write under, subscribe”). Compare Dutch onderschrijven (“to endorse”), German unterschreiben (“to sign; endorse”), Danish underskrive (“to sign; endorse”). By surface analysis, under- + write.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To write below or under; subscribe.
2. (intransitive, obsolete, transitive) To subscribe (a document, policy etc.) with one's name.
3. (transitive) To sign; to put one's name to.
4. (transitive) To agree to pay by signing one's name; subscribe.
5. (transitive) Specifically, to assume financial responsibility for something, and guarantee it against failure.
   • Dr. Beeching's obvious intent is that if Scottish—and similarly unprofitable English and Welsh—railways are to be maintained, it must be done by an unconcealed subsidy; he is determined that the railways shall no longer be preoccupied with—and derided for—immense deficits which include the burden of social services the State must openly underwrite, if it wants them. 1962 October, “Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan”, in Modern Railways, page 220:
6. (intransitive) To act as an underwriter.
   • The broker who procures the insurance […]ought not, by underwriting the policy, to deprive the parties of his unbiased testimony. 1810, Samuel Marshall, Of marine insurance:
7. (transitive) To support, lend support to, guarantee the basis of.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To submit to; put up with.
   • Diſguiſe the holy ſtrength of their command: / And vnder write in an obſeruing kinde c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:

Forms

Deriveds

underwriting · underwriter

Translations (9)

fi allekirjoittaa (to assume financial responsibility for something) · cy tanysgrifio (to assume financial responsibility for something) · pl odpisać (to assume financial responsibility for something) · gv fo-yial (to assume financial responsibility for something) · es suscribir (to assume financial responsibility for something) · nl onderschrijven (to assume financial responsibility for something) · de unterschreiben (to assume financial responsibility for something) · bg подписвам (to assume financial responsibility for something) · pl ubezpieczyć (to assume financial responsibility for something)