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# subdue

«subdue» in Mova's school dictionary: **to get control over a person, group or country, usually…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (subdue, subdues, subdued, subduing)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To subdue is to get control over a person, group or country, usually by force: «The army subdued the rebels». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#m1)

2) To subdue a feeling is to calm it or hold it back, like subduing your excitement or anger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#m2)

3) To subdue light, colour or sound is to make it softer or quieter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In history lessons, kings and armies «subdue» lands and peoples; the Romans subdued much of Britain. In stories, a hero may subdue a monster or a thief. In everyday and feelings talk, you might try to subdue your nerves before a test. Phrases: «subdue the enemy», «subdue a fire», «subdue a laugh».

### examples

- The Romans subdued many tribes in Britain. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x1)
- Police officers subdued the man who was shouting. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x2)
- She tried to subdue her giggles in assembly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x3)
- Firefighters worked all night to subdue the flames. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x4)
- The knight subdued the dragon in the end. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x5)
- Dimmer lights subdued the bright room. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x6)
- It took the vet two helpers to subdue the frightened horse. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x7)
- When we are not at peace amongst ourselves it is no easy thing to subdue an enemy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/#x8)

### note

Regular verb: drop the final e before -ing: «subduing». Past «subdued», which is also an adjective with its own meaning (quiet and sad). Formal; in everyday speech people say «calm down» or «control».

### In the corpora

- [So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.92/)
- [So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.117/)
- [So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.252/)
- [So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.372/)
- [For Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/2SA.699/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «subdue» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subdue/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.