喜樂美語

You can picture a page with a promise written on it, and a name signed underneath. The name at the bottom is what holds the page up. If what is written above falls through, the one who signed below catches it. Every use of underwrite keeps that shape: someone stands under something and takes its weight, whether the weight is money, a risk, or a whole agreement.

可以想成一張紙，上面寫著一個承諾，而有人把名字簽在最下面。撐住這張紙的，就是最底下那個名字。上面的事情垮了，簽在下面的人就接住。underwrite 的每一個意思都保留這個形狀：有人站在下面，扛住上面的重量。有時扛的是錢，有時扛的是風險，有時扛的是一整份協議。

From the word’s history

The Wiktionary evidence in this packet traces underwrite to Middle English underwriten and Old English underwrītan, 'to write at the foot of, write under, subscribe', and notes the surface analysis under- + write. The modern meanings all grow from signing your name beneath something.

資料裡的字源說 underwrite 來自中古英文 underwriten、古英文 underwrītan，意思是「寫在下面、簽在下面」，並指出它就是 under- 加 write。今天所有的意思，都可以看成從「把名字簽在下面」長出來的。

Wiktionary extract supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:216133875:9867): 'From Middle English underwriten, from Old English underwrītan (to write at the foot of, write under, subscribe). By surface analysis, under- + write.'

登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。

容易混在一起的字在訂閱裡。容易混在一起的字需要訂閱帳號。

同家族的字

過去式 underwrote過去分詞 underwritten-ing underwriting三單 underwrites

原始詞典資料8 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

underwriteverb/ˈʌndəɹaɪt/

  • 1

    To write below or under; subscribe.

  • 2

    obsoleteTo subscribe (a document, policy etc.) with one's name.

  • 3

    To sign; to put one's name to.

  • 4

    To agree to pay by signing one's name; subscribe.

  • 5

    Specifically, to assume financial responsibility for something, and guarantee it against failure.

    • Dr. Beeching's obvious intent is that if Scottish—and similarly unprofitable English and Welsh—railways are to be maintained, it must be done by an unconcealed subsidy; he is determined that the railways shall no longer be preoccupied with—and derided for—immense deficits which include the burden of social services the State must openly underwrite, if it wants them.
  • 6

    businessinsuranceTo act as an underwriter.

    • The broker who procures the insurance […]ought not, by underwriting the policy, to deprive the parties of his unbiased testimony.
  • 7

    To support, lend support to, guarantee the basis of.

  • 8

    obsoleteTo submit to; put up with.

    • Diſguiſe the holy ſtrength of their command: / And vnder write in an obſeruing kinde

摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。