'Subdue' definitions:
Definition of 'subdue'
From: WordNet
verb
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, subdue, subjugate, reduce]
verb
To put down by force or authority; "suppress a nascent uprising"; "stamp down on littering"; "conquer one's desires" [syn: suppress, stamp down, inhibit, subdue, conquer, curb]
verb
Hold within limits and control; "subdue one's appetites"; "mortify the flesh" [syn: mortify, subdue, crucify]
verb
Get on top of; deal with successfully; "He overcame his shyness" [syn: overcome, get over, subdue, surmount, master]
verb
Make subordinate, dependent, or subservient; "Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler" [syn: subordinate, subdue]
verb
Definition of 'Subdue'
From: GCIDE
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- I will subdue all thine enemies. --1 Chron. xvii. 10. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To overpower so as to disable from further resistance; to crush. [1913 Webster]
- Nothing could have subdued nature To such a lowness, but his unkind daughters. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- If aught . . . were worthy to subdue The soul of man. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To destroy the force of; to overcome; as, medicines subdue a fever. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- 5. To overcome, as by persuasion or other mild means; as, to subdue opposition by argument or entreaties. [1913 Webster]
- 6. To reduce to tenderness; to melt; to soften; as, to subdue ferocity by tears. [1913 Webster]
- 7. To make mellow; to break, as land; also, to destroy, as weeds. [1913 Webster]
- 8. To reduce the intensity or degree of; to tone down; to soften; as, to subdue the brilliancy of colors. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: To conquer; overpower; overcome; surmount; vanquish. See Conquer. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'subdue'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- 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