un·der·pin·ning

(ŭn′dər-pĭn′ĭng)

1. Material or masonry used to support a structure, such as a wall.

2. often underpinnings A support or foundation: "It was the towns, not the cities, that provided the underpinnings for the great American experiment" (Frank Conroy).

3. underpinnings Informal The human legs.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

underpinning

(ˈʌndəˌpɪnɪŋ)

(Building) a structure of masonry, concrete, etc, placed beneath a wall to provide support

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

un•der•pin•ning

(ˈʌn dərˌpɪn ɪŋ)

n.

1. a system of supports beneath a wall or the like.

2. Often, underpinnings. a foundation or basis: to strengthen the underpinnings of a friendship.

[1480–90]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

underpinning

noun support, base, foundation, footing, groundwork, substructure the economic underpinning of ancient Mexican society

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

underpinning

noun

1. A means or device that keeps something erect, stable, or secure:

brace, buttress, crutch, prop, shore, stay, support.

2. The lowest or supporting part or structure.Often used in plural:

base, basis, bed, bottom, foot, footing, foundation, fundament, ground, groundwork, seat, substratum.

3. That on which something immaterial, such as an argument or a charge, rests.Often used in plural:

base, basis, footing, foundation, fundament, ground (often used in plural), groundwork.

Translations

underpinning

[ˌʌndəˈpɪnɪŋ] N (Archit) → apuntalamiento m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

It had the usual country- schoolhouse form--belonged to the packing-box order of architecture; had an underpinning of stones, a moss-grown roof, and blank window spaces, whence both glass and sash had long departed.

View in context

He lays his own dead corpse beneath the underpinning, as one may say, and hangs his frowning picture on the wall, and, after thus converting himself into an evil destiny, expects his remotest great-grandchildren to be happy there.

View in context

The panel also rejected the forensic analysis of Imanishi-Kari's laboratory notebooks, saying that it "provided no independent or convincing evidence that the data or documents were not authentic." ORI had cited that analysis, conducted by the Secret Service, as strong evidence that Imanishi-Kari had fabricated data underpinning the Cell paper (SN: 3/30/91, p.

Appeals panel reverses fraud finding

is underpinning concerns about the health of the U.S.

Asian Market Wrap:

Campaigners for statutory underpinning will hold a conference in Westminster tomorrow.

Regulation of press should be made law, say voters

In the long run, an open, rules-based Chinese economy will be an important underpinning for Chinese democratic reforms."

Communist China Joins WTO. (Insider Report)

yields, with looser fiscal policy having given added underpinning to Fed tightening expectations.

FX Update: The dollar picked up from correction lows

Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM)(LSE: TYT)(TYO:7203), a Japan-based automaker, is underpinning its new platform in the next-generation Prius in 2015.

-Toyota to underpin new platform in new Prius

But a spokesman for Mrs Miller's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said that she continues to believe that statutory underpinning is not necessary to achieve the principles for regulation set out by Lord Justice Leveson.

Miller's denial of claims over press regulation

With greater home ownership and a larger elderly population underpinning the growth, UK market leader Wyevale should benefit.

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