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underlie verb

Click to hear the UK pronunciation of this wordClick to hear the US pronunciation of this word/ˌʌn.dəˈlaɪ//-dɚ-/ v [T] (underlying, underlay, underlain)

Definition

to be a hidden cause of or strong influence on something
Psychological problems very often underlie apparently physical disorders.

(Definition of underlie verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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