Subdue \Sub*due"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Subdued; p. pr. & vb.
n. Subduing.] [OE. soduen, OF. sosduire to seduce, L.
subtus below (fr. sub under) + ducere to lead. See Duke,
and cf. Subduct.]
1. To bring under; to conquer by force or the exertion of
superior power, and bring into permanent subjection; to
reduce under dominion; to vanquish.
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I will subdue all thine enemies. --1 Chron.
xvii. 10.
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2. To overpower so as to disable from further resistance; to
crush.
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Nothing could have subdued nature
To such a lowness, but his unkind daughters. --Shak.
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If aught . . . were worthy to subdue
The soul of man. --Milton.
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3. To destroy the force of; to overcome; as, medicines subdue
a fever.
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4. To render submissive; to bring under command; to reduce to
mildness or obedience; to tame; as, to subdue a stubborn
child; to subdue the temper or passions.
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5. To overcome, as by persuasion or other mild means; as, to
subdue opposition by argument or entreaties.
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6. To reduce to tenderness; to melt; to soften; as, to subdue
ferocity by tears.
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7. To make mellow; to break, as land; also, to destroy, as
weeds.
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8. To reduce the intensity or degree of; to tone down; to
soften; as, to subdue the brilliancy of colors.
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Syn: To conquer; overpower; overcome; surmount; vanquish. See
Conquer.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
subdue
v 1: put down by force or intimidation; "The government quashes
any attempt of an uprising"; "China keeps down her
dissidents very efficiently"; "The rich landowners
subjugated the peasants working the land" [syn: repress,
quash, keep down, subjugate, reduce]
2: to put down by force or authority; "suppress a nascent
uprising"; "stamp down on littering"; "conquer one's
desires" [syn: suppress, stamp down, inhibit, conquer,
curb]
3: hold within limits and control; "subdue one's appetites";
"mortify the flesh" [syn: mortify, cricify]
4: get on top of; deal with successfully; "He overcame his
shyness" [syn: overcome, get over, surmount, master]
5: make subordinate, dependent, or subservient; "Our wishes
have to be subordinated to that of our ruler" [syn: subordinate]
6: correct by punishment or discipline [syn: tame, chasten]
WordNet (r) 2.0
184 Moby Thesaurus words for "subdue":
abate, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, appease, asphyxiate, assuage,
attemper, baffle, bank the fire, bear down, beat down, bend,
benumb, blunt, bottle up, break, break down, bridle, bring low,
bring to terms, calm, calm down, censor, chasten, check, choke off,
clamp down on, compose, conquer, constrain, control, cool, cork,
cork up, crack down on, cradle, crush, curb, cushion, damp,
damp down, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, deaden the pain, deafen,
defeat, diminish, dominate, downplay, drown, dulcify, dull, ease,
ease matters, even out, extenuate, extinguish, fell, flatten,
fluff, foment, gag, gentle, give relief, hold down, hold in check,
humble, humiliate, hush, jump on, keep down, keep in check,
keep under, keep within bounds, kill, knead, laxate, lay, lenify,
lessen, lighten, limber, limber up, loosen, lull, mash, massage,
master, mellow, milden, mitigate, moderate, modulate, mollify,
muffle, mute, muzzle, numb, obtund, overcome, overmaster,
overpower, override, overwhelm, pacify, pad, palliate, play down,
plump, poultice, pour balm into, pour oil on, pour water on,
prostrate, pulp, put down, quash, quell, quench, quiet, reduce,
reduce the temperature, relax, relieve, repress, rest, restrain,
ride down, rock, rock to sleep, salve, shake up, shut down on,
silence, sit down on, sit on, slacken, slake, slow down, smash,
smooth, smooth down, smooth over, smoothen, smother, sober,
sober down, soft-pedal, soften, soften up, soothe, squash, squelch,
stabilize, stanch, steady, stifle, still, stop, strangle, stultify,
stupe, subjugate, suffocate, supple, suppress, tame, temper,
tenderize, throttle, tone down, trample down, trample underfoot,
tranquilize, tread underfoot, triumph over, tune down, tyrannize,
underplay, unman, vanquish, weaken
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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