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to underlie
01
to serve as the foundation or primary cause for something
Transitive: to underlie an abstract entity
Grammatical Information
Composition
derived
State verb
Regular
Present tense
underlie
3rd person singular
underlies
Present participle
underlying
Past simple
underlay
Past participle
underlain
Examples
Cultural traditions underlie many of the festivals and celebrations we see around the world.
02
to be positioned below or beneath something
Transitive: to underlie a physical entity
Examples
Coral reefs underlie the clear blue waters, home to a diverse marine ecosystem.
Lexical Tree
underlie
lie
