underwrit
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Etymology: From Middle English underwrit, from Old English underwrite, equivalent to under- + writ.
Senses: examples: text: [T]he Queen, perceiving all to be diſcovered, ſet down with her own Hand all the Buſineſs, and underwrit the Confeſſion with her own Hand, and gave it to the King, which having read, he flung it bravely into the Fire, adviſing her to be hereafter more faithful to him, and to his Affairs.
ref: 1637 October 19 (Gregorian calendar), G[eorge] Garrard, “The Reverend Mr. Garrard to the Lord Deputy”, in William Knowler, The Earl of Strafforde’s Letters and Dispatches, with an Essay towards His Life by Sir George Radcliffe. […], volume II, London: […] [F]or the Editor, by William Bowyer, published 1739, page 115:
text: The laſt Stock was underwrit by Vertue of a Charter granted Anno 1657, ſince often confirmed, and augmented, with extraordinary Powers: the Stock then underwrit was about 744000 l. of which only 372000 l. was taken in. […] for the Stock not being increaſed by New Subſcriptions proportionable to the Trade, nor by taking in the full Sum that was underwrit, but continuing the ſame 372000 l. as at firſt, upon which all Sales and Dividends were made, the Adventurers, inſtead of being increaſed from 900 as they were at firſt, to 9000, as the increaſe of the Trade required, are reduced to 550 Perſons, a leſs number than at firſt. […] but if Two Millions, or what elſe may be thought a Convenient Stock, ſhould be underwrit, then there will be no difficulty in Carrying on the Trade, without any Intermiſſion, or danger, than what may be feared by the changing of Committees now Annually made, and the increaſe of the Stock, as it will ſatisfie the Complaints that ariſe from the Contraction of the ſaid Trade, and difficulties of Admiſſion into it, ſo it will occaſion the inlarging thereof; […]
ref: 1697, [John Pollexfen], A Discourse of Trade and Coyn, London, pages 99, 101–102, and 109–110:
text: Oft-times upon the Board / Where Helen was ingraven, you the word / Amo have underwrit, in new-ſpilt Wine: / (Good ſooth) at firſt I could not ſcan the Line, / Nor underſtand your Meaning.
ref: 1714, The Works of Mr. William Shakespear, volume IX, London: […] J. Darby […], for E. Curll, K. Sanger, and J. Pemberton: […], page 221:
text: Johnſ[on]. Mr. Bayes, in my opinion, now, that Gentleman might have ſaid a little more upon this occaſion. / Bayes. No, Sir, not at all; for I underwrit his Part, on purpoſe to ſet off the reſt.
ref: 1718 [1675], George [Villiers, 2nd] Duke of Buckingham, The Rehearsal: as It Is Now Acted at the Theatre-Royal, 9th edition, London, act I, scene iv, page 25:
text: Dr. Snape anſwer’d in an Advertiſement in the late Lord Bolingbroke’s News-Paper, the Poſt-boy, and ſaid, he had it from Dr. Hutchinſon, who had it from the Biſhop of Carliſle, who underwrit the Advertiſement, This is true.
ref: 1735, [John] Oldmixon, “The History of England, &c. during the Reign of King George I. Chap[ter] III. From the End of the Rebellion in Scotland, to the Defeat of the Spanish Fleet by Sir George Byng, near Sicily. […]”, in The History of England, during the Reigns of King William and Queen Mary, Queen Anne, King George I. […], London: […] Thomas Cox, […] Richard Ford, and Richard Hett, […], page 644, column 1:
text: Lady Betty Berkeley finding this Ballad in the Author’s Room unfiniſhed, ſhe underwrit the laſt Stanza, and left the Paper where ſhe had found it; […]
ref: 1746, “A Ballad on the Game of Traffic. Written at the Castle of Dublin, in the Time of the Earl of Berkely [i.e. Charles Berkeley, 2nd Earl of Berkeley]’s Government.”, in [Jonathan] Swift, Miscellanies, volume 11, London: […] C. Hitch, C. Davis, R. Dodsley, and M. Cooper, page 241:
text: […] his Wife alſo, by whom he had had ſeveral Baſtard-Children, left him in his Extremity, and he being without Means or Hopes of outward Subſiſtance in this Iſland, did put up his Name in the Secretary’s Office, but was underwrit for the Sum of ſeven Pounds, which neither his Maſters, whoſe Drudgery he had done, nor his own Purſe, could or would produce that Sum, ſo that, he being therein diſappointed, was glad to go from Houſe to Houſe, till in ſome ſhort Time after he died very poor and miſerable, and had not the fear of Offence to the Living given him a Burial, more than the Goodwill of his Friends, or Ability of his Purſe, he might have remained unburied as a farther Warning to others.
ref: 1753, Joseph Besse, A Collection of the Sufferings of the People Called Quakers, for the Testimony of a Good Conscience, […], volume II, London: […] Luke Hinde, […], page 347:
text: […] perhaps, when those two were re-touch’d, and made a little fitter than they are in their firſt draught to rank with the Author’s other plays which he has fetch’d from our Engliſh hiſtory: and those two parts, even with all their re-touchings, being ſtill much inferior to the other plays of that claſs, he may reasonably be ſuppos’d to have underwrit himſelf on purpose in the firſt, that it might the better match with those it belong’d to: […]
ref: 1768, Edward Capell, “Introduction”, in Mr William Shakespeare His Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies, Set out by Himself in Quarto, or by the Players His Fellows in Folio, and Now Faithfully Republish’d from Those Editions […], London: […] Dryden Leach, for J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson […], page 36:
text: The joint and ſeveral anſwer of two defendants, was, on motion, ſuppreſſed for irregularity, becauſe it was underwrit, Jurat’, and not Jurati, or Ambo jurati.
ref: 1779, Joseph Harrison, The Accomplish’d Practiser in the High Court of Chancery, Shewing the Whole Method of Proceedings, According to the Present Practice, from the Bill to the Appeal Inclusive: […], 6th edition, volume I, London: […] W. Strahan and M. Woodfall, […]; for T. Whieldon, and T. Waller, […], page 372:
text: Confound the modern shipowners— / The fiends that I came across! / For a goodly bit she was underwrit— / And they wished the vessel’s loss.
ref: 1873 March 5, “The Rime of the Modern Shipowner”, in Fun, London: […] T. Moffitt, […], published 8 March 1873, page 100, column 1:
glosses: simple past and past participle of underwrite