- below
- early 14c., biloogh, from be- "by" + logh, lou, lowe "low." Apparently a variant of earlier a-lowe (influenced by other advs. in be-, cf. before), the parallel form to an-high (now on high). Beneath was the usual word; below was very rare in M.E. and only gained currency in 16c. It is frequent in Shakespeare. Below is the opposite of above and concerns difference of level and suggests comparison of independent things. Under is the opposite of over and is concerned with superposition and subjection and suggests some interrelation.