work under
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle under
Meanings
Operate without revealing one's identity or intentions
Why “under”? Under the surface means hidden.
“She worked under an alias.”
“The writer worked under a pen name.”
Don't confuse with
Work under means operate without revealing one's identity or intentions. Work together means cooperate on a task as a group.
Test yourself
“She worked under an alias.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
work together
A contrast learners often mix up
Cooperate on a task as a group
hide under
Same under pattern: hiding
Hide something beneath a covering
slip under
Same under pattern: hiding
Quietly place something underneath a surface
sweep under
Same under pattern: hiding
Hide something inconvenient from view, often by ignoring it
tuck under
Same under pattern: hiding
Place something neatly beneath a covering
work against
Same base verb: work
Make success less likely
work around
Same base verb: work
Find a way past an obstacle
work at
Same base verb: work
Make steady effort on a task or skill
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