[UNDER-1 8 c, d.]
1. trans. To let at an amount or rental below the true or full value.
1677. Capell, in Essex Papers (Camden), II. 128. Ormond … abusing King in underletting the excise to the value of 300,000 lbs. per annum.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 103, ¶ 14. He … knows how much one man’s cellar is robbed by his butler, and the land of another underlet by his Steward.
1791. Rep. Comm. Thames-Isis Navig., 24. The Two Pound Locks, Tolls, &c. at Ifley and Sandford … were previously much under-let.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., xiii. 181. Agricultural land in England is rather under than over let.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vi. § 5 (1876), 320. The land indeed had been greatly underlet.
2. To let to a sub-tenant; to sublet.
1819. Rees, Cycl., XXXVII. s.v. Underletting, That tenants should have the power of underletting or assigning the farms.
1841. Penny Cycl., XXI. 400/1. The merchant may load with his own goods or those of others, or he may underlet the ship altogether.
1872–4. in Jefferies, Toilers Field (1892), 253. No allotment, or any part thereof shall be under-let or exchanged.
Hence Underletter (Smart, 1836); Underletting vbl. sb.
1819. Rees, Cycl., XXXVII. s.v., By a subset or underletting there, the principal tenant or tacksman is not changed.
1883. Law Times, 27 Oct., 433/1. Covenants against assignments and underlettings without the landlord’s consent.
