v. [UNDER-1 4 a. Cf. Du. and Flem. onderschoren.]
1. trans. To prop up; to support or strengthen with shores. Also in fig. context.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIX. 47. Ne were hit vnder-shored, certes hit sholde nat stande.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 511/1. Vndersettyn, or vnderschoryn, fulcio, suffulcio.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, III. Wks. 473/2. He sheweth himself as wise, as one that lest hys rotten house should fall, wold … pull vp ye groundsel to vndershore the sides with the same.
1583. H. Howard, Defensative, B iij b. A sillye proppe to vndershore the ruines of olde Adams walles.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 72. To vnder-shore the ruinous walls.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., II. 129. Undershore it with Levers made of strong beams.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 706. To undershore, to support or raise a thing by putting a spar or prop under it.
2. fig. To support, strengthen, sustain.
a. 1500. Medwall, Nature (Brandl), 327. Yf ye wyll vndershore Hys croked old age.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xxxvii. 34. The faithful … being undershored by him should not suffer themselves too bee drawen hither and thither.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, XVIII. xl. 729. The citizens of Babilon … know not which to beleeue. But we haue a diuine historie to vnder-shore vs.
1665. Bunyan, Holy Citie, Pref. p. iv. Here is neither paint to adorn thy wrinkled face, nor Crutch to uphold or undershore thy shaking, tottering, staggering Kingdom of Rome.
