underkeep

present singular third person underkeeps · participle present underkeeping · participle past underkept · past underkept

1. transitiveTo keep under or in subjection; subdue; suppress.

   It is not economy to overwork or underkeep, or in any wise neglect the farm horse?

   1865, The farmer's magazine, page 276

   2 more examples

   Like as a fire, the which in hollow caue / Hath long bene vnderkept, and downe supprest, / With murmurous disdaine doth inly raue […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

   [...] how running himself our President underkeeps with such high animals how the british Queen in Her Majesty's own language.

   1967, Rudolf Augstein, Der Spiegel: Volume 21, Issues 19-23

2. transitiveTo keep or maintain inadequately or below standard.

   Most houses on Oakland Ave. have large basements that are underkept.

   2011, Marie Puissant, University of Wisconsin off the record

   1 more example

   Compared to Colva and Benaulim, Palolem 's accommodations are overpriced and underkept — expect to pay Rs200 in season for the privilege of crashing in a charmless double and using a common bathroom outside.

   2004, Let's go: India & Nepal, 2004 - Page 191, Let's Go, Inc

plural underkeeps

1. An underground reserve.

   The earth was swallowing Abascar. "The Underkeeps caved in."

   2007, Jeffrey Overstreet, Auralia's Colors

2. A keep or storage space located beneath the foundation of a structure; cellar.

   [...] located in the bottom of the driving-box cellars (underkeeps), a perforated plate being used between the axle and the cake of grease.

   1907, Léonard Archbutt, Richard Mountford Deeley, Lubrication and lubricants

3. Any storage space or reservoir placed below another object.

   They have sliding underkeeps of ample oil capacity with pad lubrication and the underkeeps are supplied with oil direct from a mechanical lubricator.

   1951, Railway gazette international, volume 94

4. An underkeeper, guardian, or custodian.

   [...] rooms taken up by Mr. Newton one of his Maᵗˢ Gent ushers for the placing of the Kings Maᵗˢ wardrobe stuffe for the space of three weeks at Newmarkett To Robert Ford underkeep of his Maᵗˢ House at Newmarkett in considracon of the want [...]

   1886, John Philip Hore, The history of Newmarket