underlinen
C1formal, academic, business
Definition
Meaning
to draw a line underneath a word or piece of text to emphasize it or indicate its importance
to emphasize the importance of something; to serve as a foundation or basis for something
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in written contexts for marking text, but metaphorically extended to verbal communication to mean 'emphasize'
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning; slight preference for 'underscore' in American technical contexts
Connotations
In British academic contexts, often used literally for annotations; in American business, more frequently metaphorical
Frequency
Slightly more common in British English in literal text-marking contexts
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
underline somethingunderline that + clauseunderline how/why/what + clauseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “underline the point”
- “underline in red (for emphasis)”
- “double-underline (for extra emphasis)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports to highlight key findings or recommendations
Academic
Common in feedback on student papers to indicate important passages
Everyday
Rare in spoken conversation except metaphorically
Technical
Used in word processors and editing software as a formatting command
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Please underline the key terms in the document.
- The report underlines the urgent need for reform.
- She underlined her argument with recent statistics.
American English
- Underline the main points in the article.
- The data underlines our previous conclusions.
- He underlined how crucial timing was to the project's success.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Underline your name at the top of the page.
- The teacher underlined the spelling mistake.
- Could you underline the most important sentences?
- The speaker underlined three main reasons for the change.
- The study's findings underline the connection between diet and health.
- Her experience underlines the importance of good communication.
- The crisis has served to underline the fragility of global supply chains.
- His comments subtly underline the ideological differences within the party.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a line UNDER words you want to remember - you UNDER-LINE them
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS VISUAL PROMINENCE (making something stand out visually represents its significance)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'подчеркивать' в смысле 'настаивать' - в английском это разговорный метафорический перенос
- В техническом контексте 'underline' - это действие, а 'underscore' может быть символом '_'
Common Mistakes
- Using 'underline' as a noun (correct: 'the underlined text')
- Confusing 'underline' with 'underscore' in programming contexts
- Overusing metaphorical 'underline' in informal speech
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'underline' correctly in a metaphorical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In formatting text, they're synonyms. In computing, 'underscore' often refers to the _ character, while 'underline' is the formatting action.
Yes, but usually metaphorically meaning 'emphasize'. Literal use is mostly for describing written text.
More formal when literal; metaphorical use is acceptable in semi-formal contexts.
Use literally for indicating text, or metaphorically to highlight important points in your argument.