underfeel

English

Etymology

From under- +‎ feel.

Verb

underfeel (third-person singular simple present underfeels, present participle underfeeling, simple past and past participle underfelt)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To secretly gain knowledge from.
   • 1687, [Antonio Maria Graziani], translated by Robert Midgley, The History of the War of Cyprus. […], London: […] J. Rawlins, and sold by Randal Taylor, […], page 336:

     They did not impart this Deliberation to the Senate, for fear of making it too publick, truſting the Secret with none but Marco Antonio Barbaro, who was detained Priſoner at Conſtantinople: They charged him to underfeel the Grand Vizier, and conclude a Peace upon reaſonable Conditions; and in the mean time they conſulted with the reſt of the Magiſtrates about the Subſiſtance of the Troops for the next Campaign.

   • 1867, John Trapp, Hugh Martin, A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Volume 1, page 516:

     Under a show of messengers and invitants to Absalom's feast, but indeed to underfeel the chief of each tribe, and to acquaint them with the intent of the meeting at Hebron.

   • 2013, Richard Head, Francis Kirkman, The English Rogue - described in the life of Meriton:

     Then having done, added farther, that he had endeavoured to underfeel the fellow that was below, but he found him very obstinate, […]

2. (transitive and intransitive) To feel inadequately or to a lesser degree than expected.
   • 1996, Jean J. Jenson, Reclaiming Your Life, →ISBN:

     As a child I had to fill in a lot of the missing information so I would “overthink,” “underfeel,” and stay confused and out of touch.

   • 2015, William Charles Henderson, Search for a Street Prophet, →ISBN:

     What I see from my world is your indecisiveness, you 'underfeel and undertell' to gain their support, is that not where you are my lady?

   • 2015, Bruce Clark, Paradise for Beginners:

     The next round of thunder was still distant, underfelt. The lightning was no more daunting than the flicker of a neon tube, yet it seemed to catch on the yellow of the artwork.

Noun

underfeel (plural underfeels)

1. An underlying feeling.
   • 2006, Linda Austern, Inna Naroditskaya, Music of the Sirens, →ISBN:

     Against the text in Sango, the beat becomes more urgent and polyrhythmic, shifting from what began as a reggae-like underfeel to a fast rumba.