underscore

[v. uhn-der-skawr, -skohr, uhn-der-skawr, -skohr; n. uhn-der-skawr, -skohr] /v. ˈʌn dərˌskɔr, -ˌskoʊr, ˌʌn dərˈskɔr, -ˈskoʊr; n. ˈʌn dərˌskɔr, -ˌskoʊr/
verb (used with object), underscored, underscoring.
1.
to mark with a line or lines underneath; underline, as for emphasis.
2.
to stress; emphasize:
The recent tragedy underscores the danger of disregarding safety rules.
noun
3.
a line drawn beneath something written or printed.
4.
music for a film soundtrack; background for a film or stage production.
Origin
1765-75; under- + score
Examples from the web for underscore
  • The findings underscore doctors' recommendations that people take multivitamins.
  • Showing up on time is a simple but effective way to underscore your professionalism.
  • Yet, this month's disasters underscore how much more the system still needs to change-along with the politicians guiding it.
  • These stories underscore how far and deep the science of chemistry reaches into our modern life.
  • We have now had three attacks, in one year, that underscore the fundamentally untrustworthy nature of routing.
  • But they also underscore the history of a brand and educate residents of what will soon be the world's largest luxury market.
  • They underscore a debilitating situation for educators trying to sustain the arts in the secondary school curriculum.
  • It was as important to him as it was to them to underscore the horror and futility of it.
  • The garden's orchids, bromeliads, palm and guava trees underscore the tropical locale.
  • These incidents are rare, but they underscore the risk of trusting a third party to secure your data over the web.
British Dictionary definitions for underscore

underscore

verb (transitive) (ˌʌndəˈskɔː)
1.
to draw or score a line or mark under
2.
to stress or reinforce
noun (ˈʌndəˌskɔː)
3.
a line drawn under written matter
Word Origin and History for underscore
v.

1771, "to draw a line under," from under + score (v.). The figurative sense of "to emphasize" is attested from 1891. Noun meaning "a line drawn below (something)" is recorded from 1901.

underscore in Technology

character
_, ASCII 95.
Common names: ITU-T: underline; underscore; underbar; under. Rare: score; backarrow; skid; INTERCAL: flatworm.
See also left arrow.
(1995-03-06)