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Webster 1913 Edition


Undermine

Unˊder-mine′

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To excavate the earth beneath, or the part of, especially for the purpose of causing to fall or be overthrown; to form a mine under; to sap;
as, to
undermine
a wall
.
A vast rock
undermined
from one end to the other, and a highway running through it.
Addison.
2.
Fig.: To remove the foundation or support of by clandestine means; to ruin in an underhand way;
as, to
undermine
reputation; to
undermine
the constitution of the state
.
He should be warned who are like to
undermine
him.
Locke.

Webster 1828 Edition


Undermine

UNDERMI'NE

, v.t.
1.
To sap; to excavate the earth beneath, for the purpose of suffering to fall, or of blowing up; as, to undermine a wall.
2.
To excavate the earth beneath. Rapid streams often undermine their banks and the trees growing upon them.
3.
To remove the foundation or support of any thing by clandestine means; as, to undermine reputation; to undermine the constitution of the state.
He should be warned who are like to undermine him.

Definition 2024


undermine

undermine

English

Verb

undermine (third-person singular simple present undermines, present participle undermining, simple past and past participle undermined)

  1. To dig underneath (something), to make a passage or for destructive or military purposes; to sap. [from 14th c.]
    • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, p. 312:
      Martin, for instance, had on one occasion undermined a tree sacred to old gods, then stood in the path of its fall, but forced it to fall elsewhere by making the sign of the Cross.
  2. (figuratively) To weaken or work against; to hinder, sabotage. [from 15th c.]
    • 2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in the Guardian:
      The growing use of social media to spread anger and dissent in the Arab world has been hailed by western governments as one of the chief justifications for a completely unfettered internet. The US is reportedly funding the secret rollout of technology in Iran in an effort to undermine internet censors in the country.
    The war efforts were undermined by the constant bickering between the allies.

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