beneath

be·neath /bɪˈniːθ/ W2 adverbadv , preposition formal

1 UNDER/BELOWin or to a lower position than something, or directly under something 在…之下，在…正下方；往…下面 SYN underneath

The dolphins disappeared beneath the waves.

海豚消失在波涛中。

Jo enjoyed feeling the warm sand beneath her feet.

乔很喜欢脚下踩着温暖沙子的感觉。

He was standing on the bridge looking at the river beneath.

他站在桥上，看着下面的河水。

Some roofs collapsed beneath the weight of (=unable to support the weight of) so much snow.

有些房子的屋顶不堪积雪的重压塌陷了。

► see thesaurus at under

In everyday English, people usually use underneath (as an adverb or preposition) or under (as a preposition) when talking about position: 在日常英语中，谈到位置时人们通常用underneath（副词或介词）或under（介词）

They hid under the table.

他们躲在桌子下面。

a picture with a caption underneath

下面有说明文字的照片

2 covered by something 在…的覆盖之下

Shiona shivered beneath the bedclothes.

希奥娜在被单下面瑟瑟发抖。

3 HIDE/NOT SHOWused to say that someone’s real character or feelings are not shown because their appearance or behaviour is different 在…的表面之下〔指真实性格或情感没有显现〕 SYN underneath

Dave sensed that something more sinister lay beneath the woman’s cheerful exterior.

戴夫感觉到，在那个女人开朗的外表下隐藏着一颗邪恶的心。

Beneath the surface she was angry.

她表面上没有显露出来，实际上很愤怒。

4 SUITABLEnot good enough or suitable for someone 配不上〔某人〕，与〔某人〕不相称

She acts as if even speaking to us is beneath her.

她的样子好像和我们说句话都有失身份。

He felt it would be beneath his dignity to comment.

他觉得发表意见会有失他的尊严。

His mother felt he was marrying beneath him (=marrying someone who was not good enough).

他母亲觉得他娶的妻子配不上他。

I consider such behaviour to be beneath contempt (=so bad that you have no respect for the person involved).

我觉得这种行为为人所不齿。

5. POSITION/RANKin a lower, less important rank or job than someone else 〔级别或职位〕低于 SYN below

Examples from the Corpus

beneath• He stood on the bridge, looking at the river beneath.• The whales are black or gray on top, with white beneath.

beneath the weight of• Apple trees were straining beneath the weight of a bumper crop of what looked like Cox's orange pippins.• The shelves around him, which were built to the ceiling, were bowed beneath the weight of his trove.• It ultimately collapses beneath the weight of its deception.

Beneath the surface• Even this may still leave some hidden agendas lurking beneath the surface.• Yet, when we dig a little deeper, we find simply another style of moral paternalism lies buried beneath the surface.• The golden iridescence of Cassida and its allies is produced by a film of moisture beneath the surface cuticle.• The mud beneath the surface dragged at his boots, which seemed to be weighted with lead.• Forty-five miles beneath the surface, the layer known as the asthenosphere begins.• They swim beneath the surface with sharp black fins, waiting to attack.

beneath ... dignity• Hazar, an Arabian stallion, felt that halter classes at shows were rather beneath his dignity.• He made it quite clear that much speech was beneath his dignity.• It is as if the academic community takes the view that theories on ancient astronauts are beneath their dignity.• Oh, no! that would be beneath her dignity.• Some youngsters respond to persuasion and the idea that to do certain things is beneath their dignity.• They viewed such methods as a necessary evil, unavoidable yet somehow beneath their dignity.• It was all beneath his dignity, this business of charging around with rifles in your hand and going on parade.• It was as if, in some strange way, it was beneath his dignity to take an interest in her.

Origin beneath

Old English beneothan, from neothan “below”

be·neath adverbadv →REGISTER1

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus