The Collaborative International Dictionary
Underwork \Un"der*work`\, n.
Inferior or subordinate work; petty business.
--Addison.
Underwork \Un`der*work"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Underworkedor Underwrought; p. pr. & vb. n. Underworking.]
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To injure by working secretly; to destroy or overthrow by clandestine measure; to undermine.
But thou from loving England art so far, That thou hast underwrought his lawful king.
--Shak. To expend too little work upon; as, to underwork a painting.
--Dryden.To do like work at a less price than; as, one mason may underwork another.
Underwork \Un`der*work"\, v. i.
To work or operate in secret or clandestinely.
--B. Jonson.To do less work than is proper or suitable.
To do work for a less price than current rates.
Wiktionary
n. Subordinate work; petty business. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To require too little work from; to work insufficiently. 2 (context intransitive obsolete English) To work or operate in secret or clandestinely. 3 (context ambitransitive English) To do less work than necessary (on). 4 (context intransitive English) To do work for inadequate payment. 5 (context transitive English) To injure by working secretly; to destroy or overthrow by clandestine measure; to undermine. 6 (context transitive English) To do similar work for a lesser price than; to undercut.
Usage examples of "underwork".
The world that Nasi had grown up in had far more idle nobles and underworked functionaries, a wealth of sinecures for hangers-on to occupy and work at in dilettante fashion.
Sharpe had always expressed a combat soldier's scorn for most staff officers, believing that such arrogant creatures were overpaid and underworked, but as Sharpe discovered the problems of organizing a brigade, so he learned that it was his job, rather than Nairn's, to solve those problems.
Nevertheless, by the time the brothers stopped for the night, Tarl's arms, shoulders, and back ached from the repeated use of previously underworked muscles.
In the space of twenty-four hours, the smallest, most underworked staff on the Hill became the most frenzied.
At the third address I happened on an underworked twenty-year-old who ran pale long fingers through clean shoulder-length curls while he looked with interest at my offering.