under 1 BELOW directly below something, or covered by it: Write your name under your picture. | She was carrying her handbag under her arm. | I could see something glittering under the water. 2 LESS THAN less than a particular number, amount, age, or price: gifts for under ten dollars | nursery education for children under five | I spend just under four hours a day seeing customers. | be under age (=not be old enough to drink, have sex etc legally): You're not allowed in the bar if you're under age. 3 be under construction/discussion/attack etc to be in the process of being constructed, discussed etc: The possibility of replacing the computers remains under consideration. | The National Health Service is very much under attack from the Tory government. 4 CONTROLLED being controlled by a particular leader, government, system etc: foreign policy under Kohl | The Los Angeles Philharmonic is under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen. 5 LAW/AGREEMENT according to a particular agreement, law etc: an exemption under Article 85 6 AFFECTED BY being affected by particular conditions or situations: She's been under a lot of pressure at work. | driving under the influence of alcohol | The solicitor has said that under no circumstances must I pay it. 7 be under (sb's) control/influence/spell etc if someone or something is under someone's control etc, they control or influence it: I'm glad to see that you have everything under control. | She seems to be coming under Gina's influence. 8 CLASS/GROUP if an object, book, name etc is under a particular letter, list, system etc, that is where you can find it or that is the group it belongs to: The baby's records are filed under the mother's last name. 9 POSITION AT WORK if people are under someone in authority, they work for that person and have a lower position: Guerrero works under him directly. 10 be under an impression/delusion to believe something is true, especially when you are wrong in believing it: I was under the impression that he was going on vacation that week. 11 be under anaesthesia/sedation/treatment etc to be treated by a doctor using a particular drug or method 12 DIFFERENT NAME if you write something under another name, you write it using a name that is not your real name: Eric Blair wrote under the name of George Orwell. home