Underweigh

Part of speech: adjective, adverb

Definitions

1. Weighing below the proper or legal standard for a given measure or commodity
2. Having insufficient weight compared to what is specified or required by regulation
3. Falling short of the correct weight that should be present in a standardized unit or package

Etymology: "Underweigh" is an alternative spelling of "under way," the phrase meaning a ship that has begun moving or is in motion. The phrase itself is built from "under," in the sense of being in a particular state or condition, and "way," which in nautical use meant forward motion through the water. Written as a single word, the spelling reflects the common habit of fusing a set phrase into one unit, though the two-word form remains the standard one.

Synonyms: underway