Grammar

Question

I looked up "under,beneath and below" in different dictionaries but I didn't get the meaning;when should we use each one of them?Thanks a lot.

LetMeCheckThat · Accepted Answer

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AlpheccaStars · Answer

Hi;

Under and beneath are very similar, nearly interchangeable.

From Dictionary.com:
Below, under, beneath indicate position in some way lower than something else. Below implies being in a lower plane: below the horizon, the water line. Under implies being lower in a perpendicular line: The book is under the chair. Beneath may have a meaning similar to below, but more usually denotes being under so as to be covered, overhung, or overtopped: the pool beneath the falls.

Some examples:

His score is below average. (Below is opposite of above.)
My apartment is below his. (On a lower floor of the building.)

My apartment is directly under / beneath his. (My ceiling is his floor. ) (Either word can be used; I underlined my preference.)

The cat is hiding under / beneath the bed.

She was warm beneath / under the wool blanket. (She was covered by the blanket.)

The ship sank beneath/ below the waves. (It was covered up by the waves.)

Moles spend most of their lives underground. (underground is a compound word = under+ground)
Whales need to breathe air, but they can spend more than 20 minutes under water.

She wore a nice blouse under / beneath her jacket.
The warm sand beneath my feet felt wonderful. (My feet covered the sand.)

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