Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

subdue

 
Dictionary: sub·due   (səb-dū', -dyū') pronunciation
tr.v., -dued, -du·ing, -dues.
  1. To conquer and subjugate; vanquish. See synonyms at defeat.
  2. To quiet or bring under control by physical force or persuasion; make tractable.
  3. To make less intense or prominent; tone down: subdued my excitement about the upcoming holiday.
  4. To bring (land) under cultivation: Farmers subdued the arid lands of Australia.

[Middle English subduen, alteration (influenced by Latin subdere, to subject) of Old French suduire, to seduce, from Latin subdūcere, to withdraw (probably influenced by Latin sēdūcere, to seduce) : sub-, away; see sub- + dūcere, to lead.]

subduable sub·du'a·ble adj.
subduer sub·du'er n.

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Thesaurus: subdue
Top

verb

  1. To win a victory over, as in battle or a competition: beat, best, conquer, defeat, master, overcome, prevail against (or over), rout, subjugate, surmount, triumph over, vanquish, worst. Informal trim, whip. Slang ace, lick. Idioms: carrywinthe day, gethavethe best of, gethavethe better of, go someone one better. See win/lose/recovery.
  2. To make or become less severe or extreme: moderate, mute, qualify, soften, tame, temper, tone down. See increase/decrease.

Antonyms: subdue
Top

v

Definition: keep under control; moderate
Antonyms: arouse, incite, release, rouse, start


WordNet: subdue
Top
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 6 meanings:

Meaning #1: put down by force or intimidation
  Synonyms: repress, quash, keep down, subjugate, reduce

Meaning #2: to put down by force or authority
  Synonyms: suppress, stamp down, inhibit, conquer, curb

Meaning #3: hold within limits and control
  Synonyms: mortify, cricify

Meaning #4: get on top of; deal with successfully
  Synonyms: overcome, get over, surmount, master

Meaning #5: make subordinate, dependent, or subservient
  Synonym: subordinate

Meaning #6: correct by punishment or discipline
  Synonyms: tame, chasten


Translations: Subdue
Top

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - undertrykke, betvinge, kue, dæmpe

Nederlands (Dutch)
onderwerpen, beteugelen, matigen

Français (French)
v. tr. - soumettre, mater, contenir

Deutsch (German)
v. - bezähmen, bändigen, dämpfen, urbar machen, unterwerfen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - καθυποτάσσω, κατασιγάζω, εξημερώνω, δαμάζω, απαλύνω, μετριάζω

Italiano (Italian)
tenere a freno, soggiogare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - subjugar

Русский (Russian)
покорять, подавлять, преодолевать, ослаблять, обрабатывать землю

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - atenuar, suavizar, bajar, someter, sojuzgar, dominar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - underkuva, besegra, lägga under sig, kuva

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
使服从, 减弱, 压制

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 使服從, 減弱, 壓制

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 타파하다, 억누르다, 완화하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 征服する, 打ち勝つ, 抑える, 抑制する, 和らげる, 鎮圧する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يخمد, أخضع, كبت, خفف‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הכניע, כבש, התגבר על, דיכא, עידן, ריכך, החליש, עמעם‬


 
 
Learn More
burn
put down
present

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Answers Corporation Antonyms. © 1999-2009 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more