underbuild

English

Etymology

From under- +‎ build.

Pronunciation

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Verb

underbuild (third-person singular simple present underbuilds, present participle underbuilding, simple past and past participle underbuilt)

1. (transitive) To build beneath another structure; provide a foundation or support for; undergird.
   • 1900, Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Yorkshire archaeological journal: Volume 15:

     The two eastern arches have been underbuilt for the sake of strengthening them.

2. (transitive) To perform insufficient construction on a building or in an area; build below a specified requirement or standard.
   • 1903, West Publishing Company, The Northeastern reporter: Volume 65:

     Appellee was obliged to overbuild, rather than underbuild, the appellant's telephone line for the distance of these six spans for the following reason [...]

Antonyms

• overbuild

Derived terms

• underbuilding

Related terms

• underbuilder