underwork

Verb

underwork (third-person singular simple present underworks, present participle underworking, simple past and past participle underworked or (archaic) underwrought)

1. (transitive) To require too little work from; to work insufficiently.
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To work or operate in secret or clandestinely.
   • [H]e raiſeth (in priuate) a nevv Inſtrument, one Sertorius Macro, and by him vndervvorketh, diſcouers the others Coũſells [i.e., counsels], his Means, his Ends, […]1605, Ben[jamin] Jonson, “The Argument”, in Seianus His Fall, London: […] G[eorge] Elld, for Thomas Thorpe, →OCLC, , signature [A4], recto
3. (ambitransitive) To do less work than necessary (on).
   • to underwork a painting
4. (intransitive) To do work for inadequate payment.
5. (transitive) To injure by working secretly; to destroy or overthrow by clandestine measure; to undermine.
   • But thou from loving England art so far,
     That thou hast underwrought his lawful king.c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
6. (transitive) To do similar work for a lesser price than; to undercut.
   • One mason may underwork another.

Noun

IPA/ˈʌndə(ɹ)ˌwɜː(ɹ)k/

underwork (uncountable)

1. Subordinate work; petty business.
   • the underwork of the nation1708, Joseph Addison, The Present State of the War, and the Necessity of an Augmentation
2. An underneath structure, for example for physical support
   • the underwork of a road
   • underwork of marble