p. -nam, pl. -námon; pp. -numen. I. to take surreptitiously, to steal. II. in figurative senses, (1) to take into the mind, receive what is said, taught, etc. :-- Gehádede men hit sceolon him ásecgan, undernimð se ðe wile, Wulfst. 305, 20. Hé deóplíce undernam Drihtnes láre æt him, Homl. Skt. ii. 29, 76. Abraham undernam hefiglíce ðás word dure accepit hoc, Gen. 21, 11. Ðis sind ðæra apostola word, undernimaþ hí mid carfullum móde, Homl. Th. i. 236, 4: H. R. 7, 29. Ne underfóð ealle menn ðis word ... Undernyme se ðe undernyman mæge (cf. ne underneomeð (uoð, MS. B.) nawt þis ilke word alle ... Hwase hit me underneomen, underneome, H. M. 19, 27) non omnes capiunt verbum istud ... Qui potest capere, capiat, Mt. Kmbl. 19, 11-12. Man mæg swíðe eáðe witan, se ðe hit underniman wile, ðæt hit riht nis..., Wulfst. 305, 1: Homl. Ass. 26, 53. [Hire fader hefde iset hire to lare and heo undernom (-ueng, MS. R.) hit wel, Kath. 117.] (2) to take upon one's self :-- Gif ðú leornian wille hú ðæt gewurðan mæge, ðonne undernim ðú leorningcnihtes híw, Homl. Th. i. 590, 20. [We þis feht habbeoð undernumen buten Arðures rede, Laym. 26734. To poure iheorted eni heih þing to undernimen ine hope of Godes helpe, A. R. 202, 6. Hardy to grease þinge ondernime, Ayenb. 83, 19.] (3) to blame, resent(?) :-- Ðá undernam Godwine eorl swýðe ðæt on his eorldóme sceolde swilc geweorðan, Chr. 1052; Erl. 179, 16. [He cometh not to the light, that his workis be not undirnomun ut non arguantur opera ejus, Wick. Jn. 3, 20. Impacient is he that wil not ben itaught ne undernome of his vices, Chauc. Pers. T. Whoso undernymeth me hereof, Piers P. 5, 115. Underneme reprehendo, deprehendo, arguo; undernemynge deprehensio, reprehensio, Prompt. Par