UNDERLIE (underlain, underlay, underlying)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: underlain    , underlay    , underlying   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does underlie mean? 

• UNDERLIE (verb)
  The verb UNDERLIE has 2 senses:

1. be or form the base for

2. lie underneath

  Familiarity information: UNDERLIE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNDERLIE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they underlie    ... he / she / it underlies   
Past simple: underlay   
Past participle: underlain   
-ing form: underlying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be or form the base for

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "underlie" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lie underneath

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "underlie" is one way to...):

lie (be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

 Context examples 

Any cellular process that reduces the frequency, rate or extent of adhesion between cells and the underlying extracellular matrix.

(Negative Regulation of Cell-Matrix Adhesion, NCI Thesaurus)

A physician, scientist, or healthcare provider that investigates the mechanisms underlying the effects of drugs and chemicals on biological or living systems.

(Pharmacologist, NCI Thesaurus)

Vitamin D also reduces inflammation, an underlying mechanism for obesity related development of coronary artery disease.

(High Doses of Vitamin D Rapidly Reduce Arterial Stiffness, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Treatment depends on the underlying cause.

(Collapsed Lung, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

An activity occurring within an organism, between organisms or among organisms and the mechanisms underlying such events.

(Biological Process, NCI Thesaurus)

Today’s gene targeting technologies are very powerful, but often require some functional understanding of the underlying gene to yield useful results and usually only target one or a few genes.

(Harnessing tomato jumping genes could help speed-breed drought-resistant crops, University of Cambridge)

A cellular process initiated by cell adhesion molecules which results in the attachment of a cell to either another cell or to an underlying substrate such as the extracellular matrix.

(Cell Adhesion Process, NCI Thesaurus)

Treatment aims to treat any underlying problem, reduce pain and control symptoms.

(Peripheral Nerve Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Clinical course is dependent on effective treatment of underlying cause.

(Parinaud Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

The underlying causes of primary open angle glaucoma remain poorly understood, but likely involve both genetic and environmental influences.

(Glaucoma-related genes revealed, NIH)