underwrite

English

Etymology

From Middle English underwriten, from Old English underwrītan (“to write at the foot of, write under, subscribe”), equivalent to under- +‎ write. Compare Dutch onderschrijven (“to endorse”), German unterschreiben (“to sign; endorse”), Danish underskrive (“to sign; endorse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʌndəɹaɪt/, /ʌndəˈɹaɪt/

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Verb

underwrite (third-person singular simple present underwrites, present participle underwriting, simple past underwrote, past participle underwritten or (archaic, rare) underwrit)

1. (transitive) To write below or under; subscribe.
2. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To subscribe (a document, policy etc.) with one's name.
3. (transitive) To sign; to put one's name to.
4. (transitive) To agree to pay by signing one's name; subscribe.
5. (transitive) Specifically, to assume financial responsibility for something, and guarantee it against failure.
   • 1962 October, “Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan”, in Modern Railways, page 220:

     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. (intransitive, insurance) To act as an underwriter.
   • 1810, Samuel Marshall, Of marine insurance:

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

7. (transitive) To support, lend support to, guarantee the basis of.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To submit to; put up with.
   • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:

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

Derived terms

• underwriter
• underwriting

Translations

to assume financial responsibility for something

• Bulgarian: подписвам (podpisvam)
• Dutch: onderschrijven (nl)
• Finnish: allekirjoittaa (fi)
• German: unterschreiben (de)
• Manx: fo-yial
• Polish: odpisać (pl), ubezpieczyć (pl)
• Spanish: suscribir (es)