# beneath, under, below, underneath, nether, sub



## milkalove

Hi everyone,
I  was wondering if there is a difference in use between "beneath" and "underneath".

I'm doing a geological translation which deals a lot with expressions like "beneath the terrestrial surface". Could I substitute beneath with underneath?

Thanks a lot for your help!


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## timpeac

milkalove said:
			
		

> Hi everyone,
> I was wondering if there is a difference in use between "beneath" and "underneath".
> 
> I'm doing a geological translation which deals a lot with expressions like "beneath the terrestrial surface". Could I substitute beneath with underneath?
> 
> Thanks a lot for your help!


I think we talk of "beneath the surface" - but I can't think of a good reason. I think "underneath the surface" is acceptable too, but "beneath" sounds more usual to me.


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## se16teddy

'Beneath' is a fraction more formal and elegant than 'underneath', and good for a geological paper.


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## Jonah D. Conner

I agree with the Brits, 'beneath' sounds better for a paper but is synonymous with 'underneath.'


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## milkalove

Thanks Everyone!


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## mytwolangs

Beneath does sound a bit better. It is more "formal", it implies significance.


Some English words do have a more "formal" feel about them, like "commence" versus "start".


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## celine713

Hi, dear friends.
Can you tell me is there much difference between "beneath" and "underneath"? Or, in which accasion the two are uninterchageable?

A million thanks!


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## clairanne

hi

They are interchangable in many ways but you would not for example say:

 'her legs were beginning to give way "underneath" her' and 
"the top should be crisp, and the beneath moist and succulent.

it would be:

 'her legs were beginning to give way beneath her. and 
 "the top should be crisp, and the underneath moist and succulent". 

Maybe one of our grammar experts can tell you more.


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## celine713

Hi, Clarianne, thank you for that tip! 
I reckon maybe the difference rests in the gender!
underneath:adj, adv, n, prep,
beneath: adv, prep.

Have the blind cat caught the dead mouth?


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## Tabac

celine713 said:


> Hi, dear friends.
> Can you tell me is there much difference between "beneath" and "underneath"? Or, in which accasion the two are uninterchageable?
> 
> A million thanks!


"beneath" is a preposition and must have an object:  The shoes are beneath the bed.
"underneath" is a noun or an adverb:  The underneath (n) of the chair has been torn; Put the flowers on top of the table, the packages underneath (adv).


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## celine713

Tabac said:


> "beneath" is a preposition and must have an object: The shoes are beneath the bed.
> "underneath" is a noun or an adverb: The underneath (n) of the chair has been torn; Put the flowers on top of the table, the packages underneath (adv).


 
Hi Tabac, I am more impressed with the two words nowMuch obliged!


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## Rene_Rondon

Good afternoon. As you can see, I'm from Venezuela. I don't speak english very well. So, I'm sorry for the mistakes.

I'd like to know what are the differences between the following prepositions:

Below - Under - Underneath

Thanks in advance!


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## la reine victoria

Rene_Rondon said:


> Good afternoon. As you can see, I'm from Venezuela. I don't speak English very well. So, I'm sorry for the mistakes.
> 
> I'd like to know what are the differences between the following prepositions:
> 
> Below - Under - Underneath
> 
> Thanks in advance!


 
Hi Rene_Rondon,

You are very modest -  your English appears to be very good.  

The temperature was 3 degrees below freezing this morning.
The ship's captain went below deck to inspect the engine room.
Her examination results were below average.

He crawled under the hedge to  get into the field.
She dived under the water in search of her lost bracelet.
Come out from under the table.  It's no use trying to hide!

He found his missing credit card underneath a pile of old newspapers.
She appeared to be a bad person,  but underneath she had a heart of gold.
I was digging in my garden.  Suddenly a toad crawled out from underneath a large stone.

You should be able to find all these prepositions in the WR dictionary at the top of the page.

LRV


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## Siberia

They are synonyms but can be slightly different in meaning:
a) below  implies being in a lower plane - below the knee
b) under implies being lower in a perpendicular line - the cat is under the table.
c) underneath -adjective, adverb,prepostion, noun


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## Aya del Playa

Hello, all!  Could someone explain the difference between "under" and "underneath"?  There are some good examples of different usages in previous threads, but the explanations are a bit fuzzy (to me).  Do any dictionaries, manuals, or other sources support your explanation?

In the following sentence, I would use *underneath*:
We laid flowers on the grave underneath the tree.

In the following sentence, I would use *under*:
Place a rolled-up towel under your back for support.

Any disagreements or thoughts?  Thank you!


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## timpeac

I agree with your first example, "under the tree" would suggest right under the tree stump, when I presume the meaning is "under the spreading branches right by the tree stump".

For the second both "under" and "underneath" sound acceptable to me, I can't discern a difference in meaning.


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## river

To me _under_ is below or less than. Didn't you ever have to memorize _The Village Blacksmith_ - _Under _the spreading chestnut tree the village smithy stands The Smith, a mighty man is he with large and sinewy hands. . .

_Underneath_ is directly below or covered by. I found your shoe underneath a pile of clothes.

So I'd use "under the tree" and "underneath your back." But I'd understand you either way.


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## Alxmrphi

timpeac said:


> I agree with your first example, "under the tree" would suggest right under the tree stump, when I presume the meaning is "under the spreading branches right by the tree stump".
> 
> For the second both "under" and "underneath" sound acceptable to me, I can't discern a difference in meaning.



Well, I think the opposite of the first one "under the three" implies under the branches, the word "underneath" to me is like "under" but more stressed, "underneath" the tree being actually physically under the roots.

It's just so common for someone to say like "put it under there" and it not mean directly, just so it is covered by.


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## Northen_shine18

what are the differences between underneath and beneath?

Could you give me examples please? thanks


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## WongFeiHung

In the dictionary, "underneath" is a synonym for "beneath".  They are very similarly related, but 
"Underneath" usually means 'right underneath', or a 'short distance below' (Key words are a short distance)
"Beaneath" usually refers to something deaper down 

That being said, they are almost interchangeable


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## Whodunit

I read two threads about the difference between beanath/underneath and below/under, and Cuchuflete gave an excellent answer in the latter. However, that doesn't quite satisfy me yet. There are two other prepositions I'd liek to ask about: nether, sub. From what I understand, nether sounds sort of poetic and sub should be connected to a subsequent Latin noun.

Let's see what you would use here: (my own attempts in blue)

The decree is not .......... justice yet. (sub)
I found the old tome .......... all my books last night. (under)
My cat ran .......... the table to hide from the dog. (under)
.......... my cloths is where you should not ever be. (underneath)
That is .......... me/my level! (meaning: That kind of work is too low for me) (below/beneath)
.......... no circumstances! (under)
Write your signature .......... the address field. (underneath)
She's the queen of the .......... world. (under/nether)

Could you perhaps invent a rule for the words when to use which one? Thanks in advance.


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## rubbershoes

Whodunit said:


> The decree is not .......... justice yet. (sub)



That's not right. There is a latin phrase _sub judice_ which is use in legal matters in the UK. It means something that is under investigation as in "It would be inappropriate for me to comment on that  as it is sub judice" but I don't think that's what you're trying to say. I'm not quite certain what you are trying to say.



Whodunit said:


> I found the old tome .......... all my books last night. (under)



 That's fine, but the word _all  _is superfluous.




Whodunit said:


> My cat ran .......... the table to hide from the dog. (under)



Fine 



Whodunit said:


> ......... my cloths is where you should not ever be. (underneath)



Underneath is OK but the order of the sentence is wrong. _You should never be underneath my cloth*e*s_. I 'm guessing you mean clothes rather than cloths.The phrase is rather odd as well. 




Whodunit said:


> That is .......... me/my level! (meaning: That kind of work is too low for me) (below/beneath)



Either are OK though they sound a bit arrogant. Anyone who says _that is beneath me_ deserves to be taken down a peg.



Whodunit said:


> .......... no circumstances! (under)



Fine



Whodunit said:


> Write your signature .......... the address field. (underneath)



_Underneath_ is OK but you would say _sign _rather than _write your signature

_


Whodunit said:


> She's the queen of the .......... world. (under/nether)



Fine 



Whodunit said:


> Could you perhaps invent a rule for the words when to use which one? Thanks in advance.



Sorry. I can speak the language but we don't learn rules for this type of usage.


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## GreenWhiteBlue

"Sub" is not an English word.  It is instead a Latin word, often found either as a prefix in English words (such as _submarine_) or as an untranslated portion of a Latin phrase (as in _sub rosa_).  

To say "_The decree is not sub justice_" makes no sense in English.

To say "_that is beneath me_" means that the activity is beneath your dignity rather than your ability.  For example, I might say "_I could have told other people the nasty rumor I heard, but to do that is beneath me_."


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## Whodunit

rubbershoes said:


> That's not right. There is a latin phrase _sub judice_ which is use in legal matters in the UK. It means something that is under investigation as in "It would be inappropriate for me to comment on that as it is sub judice" but I don't think that's what you're trying to say. I'm not quite certain what you are trying to say.


 
You're right. What I wrote didn't make much sense. 

What I meant to say was "The decree is *still* sub judice." I don't know where I had my head.



> That's fine, but the word _all _is superfluous.


 
I chose it to express the relief you feel when you've finally found what long you had been searching for.



> Underneath is OK but the order of the sentence is wrong. _You should never be underneath my cloth*e*s_. I 'm guessing you mean clothes rather than cloths.The phrase is rather odd as well.


 
Okay, the sentene might have been strange. What about this one: _One can always see the bra underneath that girl's shirt. Shouldn't she feel ashamed?_

Would it be possible to use another preposition other than _underneath_?



> Sorry. I can speak the language but we don't learn rules for this type of usage.


 
That's okay. I can form my own rule. 



GreenWhiteBlue said:


> To say "_that is beneath me_" means that the activity is beneath your dignity rather than your ability. For example, I might say "_I could have told other people the nasty rumor I heard, but to do that is beneath me_."


 
Can I generalize that _beneath_ is used in _that is beneath me_ and _below_ in _that is below my level_? Or would there be a situation where you could use either in the two sentences?

Additionally, it would be great if you could tell me when one should use _nether_. It sounds quite obsolete to me, but apparently it isn't.


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## LouisaB

Whodunit said:


> Additionally, it would be great if you could tell me when one should use _nether_. It sounds quite obsolete to me, but apparently it isn't.


 
You need to be very careful how you use 'nether'. It _is_ archaic in BE, and its use can label the speaker as either pretentious or snobby.

The word means 'lower' and nearly always comes with connotations of darkness, the sense of murky depths - a vague association with the pit of hell. The '*nethermost* pit of hell' is as low as one can possibly go...

Its most common usage is in the phrase *'nether regions'*, which is an acceptable euphemism for genitalia, but you can also hear the phrase *'nether-land'* or 'nether-lands', usually meaning a world obscure, and possibly slightly sinister, to the speaker. Eg a classical music critic might refer to 'the dubious netherlands of hip-hop and garage...'
Incidentally, when spelt with a capital, there is nothing remotely dark or sinister about the word 'Netherlands'!  

Louisa


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## Stefan_82

Hello.

I'd like to be told the difference in use between the following words:

- under
- below
- underneath
- beneath

I'm sure that almost everytime I use one of those words I'm wrong. As I have no sample problem it'd be great to get some general rules.

Thanks a lot in advance.


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## cwncool

The really all mean the same thing, although under and below are the most common.  Under and underneath sort of go in the same category and below and beneath in their own also.  I would more often use below when referring to maybe something hanging on a wall or referencing something, while I would use under in more situations like "under the bed", etc.


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## Stefan_82

Does that mean one can use both 'couples' interchangebly?


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## Dimcl

Stefan_82 said:


> Does that mean one can use both 'couples' interchangebly?


 
Not really.... Here are some examples which I've indicated are either right or wrong:

1.  "I hid my sister's birthday present under the bed"
2.  "I hid my sister's birthday present below the bed"
3.  "I hid my sister's birthday present underneath the bed"
4.  "I hid my sister's birthday present beneath the bed"

1.  "I keep cash in my house but I slide it underneath the carpet for safekeeping"
2.  "I keep cash in my house but I slide it under the carpet for safekeeping"
3.  "I keep cash in my house but I slide it below the carpet for safekeeping"
4.  "I keep cash in my house but I slide it beneath the carpet for safekeeping"

"Below" doesn't really have the same meaning as the others do in a lot of cases because it's got more of a "locational" meaning rather than a "under something" meaning.  For example:

"My grades were lousier than my friend's.  My marks are below his on the scording gradient" OR 

"My knees are below my waist"  OR

"I wish that cat would stop yowling below my bedroom window"


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## panjandrum

Threads on this general topic have just been merged.
It would be worth reading from the beginning of the merged thread - I think.


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## timtak

A colleague asked me about these words. I did not consider nether and sub, but only the following

lower than, below, under, underneath, beneath

I summerised as follows 

*low* is in a lower position
be* is in the same vertical position
under*” includes a sense of being covered by a surface
*neath” includes a sense of being engulfed inside the lower part of something. 

Thus while all imply that one thing is lower than another, in terms of covering the order is as above (but below does not imply covering, just being in the same place). 

I think that the difference between underneath and beneath is that under suggests a surface above, whereas beneath only presupposes a vertically extended mass in which something is in the lower part. 

Hence (Originally Posted by Whodunit )
*......... my clothes is where you should not ever be.* (underneath)
is underneath because there is a strong sense of surface (clothes are extended planes) but also being engulfed within. If this sentence was *under* (and not underneath) my clothes then we would imaging that "you" are perhaps lying on the floor covered with them, and not inside any one of them. 

*....my level* is beneath not underneath, because a clever person can do simple things (engulfs them) too and the "level" referred to here is the top of a an extended mass of ability or intelligence, rather than a covering. If someone were to say that something is "underneath" them or even "under" then it would suggest that the thing is so simple that they are not able to do it. 

I think that nether and neath may have a similar meaning. I am not sure about sub. 

Tim


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## zaffy

se16teddy said:


> 'Beneath' is a fraction more formal and elegant than 'underneath', and good for a geological paper.





Dimcl said:


> "My knees are below my waist"



A native used 'beneath' in this example. What other options fit? Do under/underneath/below fit?

"He lost both his legs beneath the knee at the age of 17."


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## Myridon

"Below the knee" is what we usually say in that context.  "Under" and "underneath" do not sound good to me.  I think it makes it sound a bit like he has some legs behind his kneecaps.


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## zaffy

Myridon said:


> Below the knee" is what we usually say in that context.


And do you like 'beneath'? I guess "beneath" is the same as "underneath". So, if 'underneath' sounds odd, so should 'beneath'.


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## JulianStuart

zaffy said:


> And do you like 'beneath'? I guess "beneath" is the same as "underneath". So, if 'underneath' sounds odd, so should 'beneath'.


Both sound strange because the normal (dare I day "correct"?) expression is "below the knee".


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## zaffy

And if I lay down on the bed and hid something right under the kneecap, I might use under/underneath/beneath, right?

_He hid the key under/undearneath/beneath the knee._


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## JulianStuart

"...under his knee" sounds the best, although you must admit the context is a little bizarre


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## se16teddy

zaffy said:


> hid something right under the kneecap


Sounds gruesome - did you have a scalpel handy?


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## zaffy

se16teddy said:


> Sounds gruesome - did you have a scalpel handy?


I see. I meant under the knee.


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## Joika

Hello everyone, 

I have a relevant question about these words.

A boss tells off her employee, _"I don't know what you are pickling in those murky jars *underneath* your desk, but this here is a place of business".(Upload, a TV drama)_

What could she intend to convey by choosing *underneath* instead of* below or under*? (I guess *beneath* is too formal for the context?)

Thank you!!


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## Loob

I don't see any hidden meanings, Joika - she's describing a location.

Have you read the whole thread?


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## zaffy

Say I'm swimming and can see some fish swimming a few meters below. Which words work best to describe this situation? Here a native speaker picked "beneath". Does it sound formal? Which of the others would work too?


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## Joika

Loob said:


> I don't see any hidden meanings, Joika - she's describing a location.
> 
> Have you read the whole thread?


Thank you!! I read a part of it but not the whole thread.  

I searched through the thread for the word "*desk*" and didn't find any example with that. So I had hoped I provided a new context to the discussion (I forgot to try "table" or "chair"). Meanwhile I get an impression reading some posts that these words should all fit except *beneath*, so I thought it would be great if someone would help me confirm that on this specific example.


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## kentix

I would just say under, I think. But it depends a bit on exactly where the jars are and the shape/style of the desk. If they are on the floor well-hidden I might say underneath. If they are more visible I might say under.


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