v. [UNDER-1 8 b, 10 a. Cf. Da. undersælge, Sw. -sälja.]
1. trans. To sell at a lower price than (another person); to cut out by selling at a lower rate.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 230. The striuing of making commodities, and to vndersel one another, are dangerous.
1677. Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 115. Whereby the Manufacture is always cheaply done, and thereby hath the advantage of sending it to foreign Markets, and undersell others.
1713. Mercator, No. 9/1. The French being able to Underwork us, will also Undersell us.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 213. The price of labour will become so enormous that we shall soon be undersold in every market.
1849–50. Alison, Hist. Eur., XIV. xcv. § 96. 192. England, which can easily undersell India in cotton manufacture,… finds its cultivators undersold by Poland and America with grain.
1884. Law Times Rep., 31 May, 421/1. The defendants are selling cheaper materials and underselling the plaintiffs.
b. transf. (Said of the thing sold.)
1757. Refl. Importation Bar-Iron, 12. The American Iron will always greatly undersell the British at Market.
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 262. England buys the French cotton, and works it into fabrics that undersell those of France.
2. To sell (a commodity) at too low a price. Also fig.
1647. N. Ward, Simple Cobler, 47. Just it is that such as undersell them, should not re-inherit them in haste.
1662. Petty, Taxes, 20. The farmer for haste is forced to under-sell his corn.
1692. Lyttelton, in Hatton Corr. (Camden), II. 169. As to my pictures,… I doubt those of more esteeme will not be very ready money, unlesse mitily undersold.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. iv. 469. They accused the Presidency of underselling the lands.
1854. Patmore, Angel in Ho., Betrothal, 99. But lofty honours undersold Seller and buyer both disgrace.
Hence Underseller; Underselling vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1672. Petty, Pol. Anat. (1691), 75. The Interest must enflame the price of Irish Commodities, and consequently give to other Nations the means of underselling.
1842. J. F. Watson, Ann. Pennsylv. (1877), I. 242. All prices were alike … there was no motive to run about town to seek out undersellers.
1863. Wynter, Subtle Brains, etc., 377. The under-seller, however, manages to turn out from ninety-four to ninety-six [loaves].
1899. Westm. Gaz., 16 Feb., 2/3. We doubt if the underselling foreigner could be kept out by such artificial manipulations of the market.
