undercharge

Everyday

1. To undercharge means to ask someone to pay less than the real or correct price, often by mistake. tree →
2. To undercharge for your work means to ask too little money for it. tree →

In the lessons

In maths problems on money, shopping and change, undercharging means the bill was too small: the difference between the correct price and the price charged tells you how much was missed. In everyday life, honest customers tell the shop when they have been undercharged. Phrases: «undercharge someone by £2», «be undercharged».

Examples

• The cashier undercharged us by three dollars, so Dad went back to pay. tree →
• If a shop undercharges you, it is honest to tell them. tree →
• The café undercharged for the cakes because the price label was wrong. tree →
• My cousin undercharges for her babysitting — she should ask for more. tree →
• The bill should be £18, but we were charged £15, so we were undercharged by £3. tree →
• The new till kept undercharging for apples. tree →

Note

Regular verb: undercharged. Opposite: overcharge. Maths: undercharged amount = correct price − price paid, e.g. correct £20, charged £17 → undercharged by £3. Usually followed by «by» + amount or «for» + thing.