underpin

English

WOTD – 13 March 2009

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌʌn.dəˈpɪn/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌʌn.dɚˈpɪn/, /ˈʌn.dɚˌpɪn/

• Audio (US)

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  Audio (US)

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Etymology

under- +‎ pin.

Verb

underpin ‎(third-person singular simple present underpins, present participle underpinning, simple past and past participle underpinned)

1. (transitive) To support from below with props or masonry.

   You should underpin the mine roof to prevent further collapse.

2. (transitive, figuratively) To give support to; to corroborate.

   Public confidence in politicians must underpin our democracy.

Translations

To support from below with props or masonry

• Czech: podepřít
• Dutch: funderen (nl), schragen (nl)
• Finnish: tukea (fi), pönkittää
• German: untermauern (de), stützen (de)

• Italian: sostenere (it), sorreggere (it)
• Polish: podtrzymywać (pl)
• Russian: укреплять (ru) ‎(ukrepljatʹ), усиливать (ru) ‎(usilivatʹ)
• Spanish: apuntalar (es), sustentar (es)
• Swedish: stödja (sv), stötta (sv)

To give support to

• Czech: podepřít
• Dutch: ondersteunen (nl), dragen (nl), schragen (nl)
• Finnish: tukea (fi), pönkittää
• German: unterstützen (de), stützen (de), untermauern (de)

• Italian: sostenere (it), sorreggere (it)
• Polish: podtrzymywać (pl)
• Russian: подде́рживать (ru) ‎(poddérživatʹ)
• Spanish: respaldar (es), sustentar (es)
• Swedish: stödja (sv), stötta (sv)