Old English under lecgan "to support by placing something beneath;" see under + lay (v.). Related: Underlaid; underlaying. Compare similarly formed Old High German Related: untarleccan, German unterlegen.
underlay the plate
They underlaid the shingles with roofing paper
underlay the boards with joists
underground
Underground Railroad
undergrowth
underhand
underhanded
underlay
underlie
underline
underling
underlying
undermine