[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

subdue \subdue"\, 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
see also:
subdued subduing duke subduct conquer 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

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
see also:
repress quash keep down subjugate reduce suppress 
stamp down inhibit conquer curb mortify 
cricify overcome get over surmount master 
subordinate tame chasten 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

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

Subdue >> S Words
Subdue, definition of term: Subdue
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