Under/below

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hanuman_2000  #75938  Wed, 23 Feb 05 04:55 AM
Sir,

1.She was standing below the tree.

2.She was standing under the tree.

What is difference between "under" and "below"?

What are the correct usage?

Thanks.
  
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Mister Micawber  #75976  Wed, 23 Feb 05 08:44 AM

Often interchangeable, they differ in that 'under' always (?) indicates 'directly beneath' ('During the tsunami, many houses were under the water'), while 'below' can indicate 'at a lower level, but not necessarily vertically so' ('my Yokohama property is below sea level').

  
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just the truth  #75994  Wed, 23 Feb 05 10:10 AM
('my Yokohama property is below sea level').

Yellow submarine, Mr M.Smile [:)]
  
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CalifJim  #76103  Wed, 23 Feb 05 05:44 PM
under the tree, under the desk, under the table, under the rug, under the newspaper, under a cloud, under the bridge, under the couch, under the hood of a car, under the sun, under the stars, under the light, under the spotlight, under my hat, under my shirt, under my coat, under the rubble, under the earth, (underground), under the sea, under the skin, under the surface,
under water, under fire, under investigation, under certain conditions, under certain circumstances, under the influence of something, under a canopy, under a rock, under a blanket, under a shroud, under a bushel (basket), under my thumb, under my foot, under my car, under a spell, under an umbrella

below the waist, below the belt, below zero, below a certain level, below sea level, below the surface, below the fold (of a newspaper), below the knee, below the ankle, below the elbow, below the wrist, below the neck, below the chin, below the threshold of pain, below the poverty line, below the water line, below the rim of a canyon, below the tower, below the equator, below the cliff, below the parapet, suspended below a bar, a caption below a picture, something written below a photo

The crowd watched Galileo from below the tower.

The bodies of many famous people are buried (directly) under the tower.

The dashing young man serenaded the astonished girl while standing [below / ??under] her balcony.

The family held the wedding reception [under / ??below] an enormous canvas tent.

I hid the key [under / *below] the mat.

CJ
  
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