1387
submerge
job is to examine and improve or put right something
written by another person, such as a newspaper article
**sub-group** /'sʌbgru:p/ *n* a separate, smaller, and sometimes
less important part of a group
**sub-head-ing** /'sʌb,hedɪŋ/ *n* a short title phrase at the
beginning of any of the parts of a piece of writing
**sub-hu-man** /sʌb'hju:mən||-'hju:-, -'ju:-/ *adj* usually *derog* of
less than human qualities: *Anyone who could commit such
terrible atrocities must be subhuman.* | *subhuman intelligence*
→ compare INHUMAN
**Su-bic Bay** /,su:bɪk 'beɪ/ a large former US military base in
the Philippines
**sub-ject¹** /'sʌbdʒɪkt/ *n* **1** [(of)] the thing that is dealt with or
represented in a piece of writing, work of art etc: *The subject
of her book is sailing.* | *She wrote a book on the subject of
sailing.* | *The subject of the painting is the Battle of Water-
loo.* **2** something being talked about or considered: *He was
clearly embarrassed to talk about his private life, and tried to
change the subject.* | *And while we're on the subject of
(=while we're talking about) money, what about that £10 I lent
you?* | *The budget has been the subject of much debate/
criticism.* **3** a branch of knowledge studied, especially in a
system of education: *History is my favourite subject/my best
subject at school.* | *She's taking three subjects in her
exams.* **4** *tech* (in grammar) a noun, noun phrase, or PRO-
NOUN that usually comes before a main verb and represents
the person or thing that performs the action of the verb or
about which something is stated, such as *she* in *She hit John*
or *elephants* in *Elephants are big* → compare OBJECT **5** a
person who lives in the land of, is protected by, and owes
loyalty to a certain state or especially royal ruler: *all the
Queen's subjects* | *a subject of the United Kingdom* | *a British
subject* → compare ALIEN, CITIZEN, NATIONAL **6** [(of, for)] *fml* a
cause: *His strange clothes were the subject of (=caused) great
amusement/were a subject for amusement.* **7** a person or
animal to whom something is done in an EXPERIMENT: *an
experiment to study the effects of smoking, with mice as the
subjects*
**subject²** *adj* **1** [F+to] tending or likely (to have): *He's subject
to ill health.* (=often becomes ill) | *The arrangements are
subject to change (=may be changed) at short notice.* **2** [F+to]
governed (by) or dependent (on): *All such gatherings are
subject to the laws on political meetings.* | *The plans are
subject to ministerial approval.* (=the minister has to agree to
them, and he may not) **3** [A no comp.] *fml* or *lit* governed by
someone else; not independent: *a subject race* **4** subject to
depending on: *Subject to your approval (=if you approve)
we'll go ahead.*
**sub-ject³** /sʌb'dʒekt/ *v* [T] *fml* or *lit* to bring under firm
control; not allow to have free expression: *The Aztecs sub-
jected the neighbouring tribes (to their rule).*
**subject sbdy./sthg. to sthg.** *phr v* [T often pass.] to cause to
experience or suffer: *We were subjected to a good deal of
ill-mannered abuse.* | *He was subjected to torture.* | *The
scientists subjected the products to a number of rigorous
tests.* | *No one would willingly subject himself to such indigni-
ties.*
**sub-jec-tion** /sʌb'dʒekʃən/ *n* [U] *fml* **1** [(of)] the act of
subjecting: *an ambitious and ruthless country intent on the
subjection of the surrounding states* **2** [(to)] a state of
dependence, especially in which one cannot do anything
except if someone else allows it: *The children lived in
complete subjection while their father was alive.*
**sub-jec-tive** /sʌb'dʒektɪv/ *adj* **1** often *derog* influenced by
personal feelings and therefore perhaps unfair: *This is a very
subjective judgment of her abilities.* → opposite OBJEC-
TIVE **2** [no comp.] existing only in the mind; imaginary: *The
ghostly presence was just a subjective sensation/
impression.* **3** (in grammar) of the subject → **ly** *adv* → **tivity**
/,sʌbdʒek'tvɪti/ *n* [U]
**subject ,matter** *n* [U] what is being talked about in speech
or writing or represented in art: *His speech was clever and
witty, although the subject matter wasn't interesting in itself.* |
*I'm afraid the style doesn't match the subject matter.*
**sub-join** /sʌb'dʒɔɪn/ *v* [T(ʀ)] *fml* or *pomp* to add (a sentence or
phrase) at the end: *My comments on the report are here
subjoined.*
**sub ju-di-ce** /ˌsʌb 'dʒu:dsɪl,ˌsʌb 'ju:dɪkeɪ/ *adj* [F] *law, Lat*
(of a legal case) now being considered in court, and there-
fore not allowed to be publicly mentioned, e.g. in a news-
paper
**sub-ju-gate** /'sʌbdʒʊgeɪt/ *v* [T] to defeat and make obedi-
ent: *a subjugated people* → **gation** /ˌsʌbdʒʊ'geɪʃən/ *n* [U]
**sub-junc-tive** /sʌb'dʒʌŋktɪv/ *n* (in grammar) a verb form,
or a set of verb forms (a MOOD), used in some languages to
express doubt, wishes, situations that do not actually exist
etc: *In 'if I were you' the verb 'were' is in the subjunctive/is a
subjunctive.* → compare IMPERATIVE, INDICATIVE
→ **subjunctive** *adj*
**sub-lease¹** /'sʌb-li:s||sʌb'li:s/ *n* an agreement by which
someone who rents property from its owner then rents (part
of) that property to someone else → see also LEASE
**sub-lease²** /sʌb'li:s/ *v* [I;T] to sublet
**sub-let** /sʌb'let/ *v* -tt- [I;T] to rent (a property one rents from
its owner) to someone else: *He rents the house and sublets a
room to a friend.* → see also LET, SUBTENANT
**sub-lieu-ten-ant** /ˌsʌb-lə'tenənt, -lef-||-lu:/ *n* a naval rank
**sub-li-mate¹** /'sʌblɪmeɪt/ *v* [T] *fml* or *tech* **1** to replace (natu-
ral urges, especially sexual ones) with socially acceptable
activities **2** (in chemistry) to change (a solid substance) to a
gas by heating it and then change it back to a solid, in order
to make it pure → **mation** /ˌsʌblɪ'meɪʃən/ *n* [U]
**sub-li-mate²** /'sʌblɪmət/ *n* *tech* (in chemistry) a solid after it
has been sublimated
**sub-lime** /sə'blaɪm/ *adj* **1** causing deep feelings of wonder,
joy etc: *sublime music* | [infnl] *What a sublime (=very good)
meal that was!* **2** [A] *infnl derog* complete and usually careless,
unknowing, or unintentional: *With a sublime disregard for
the rules he parked his car right in front of the main
entrance.* | *sublime ignorance* **3** from the sublime to the
ridiculous (when comparing two things, occasions etc)
starting with something wonderful, but followed by some-
thing silly → **ly** *adv*: *sublimely unaware of the risk she was
taking* → **ness, -limity** /sə'blɪmɪti/ *n* [U]
**sub-lim-i-nal** /sʌb'lmɪnəl/ *adj* (shown) at a level of the
mind which the senses are not conscious of: *Subliminal
advertising on television (=that is shown for too short a time
for one to be conscious of it) has been banned.*
**sub-ma-chine gun** /ˌsʌbmə'ʃi:n gʌn/ *n* a light MACHINE-
GUN
**sub-ma-rine¹** /'sʌbməri:n, ˌsʌbmə'ri:n/ *adj* *tech* growing
or used under or in the sea: *submarine plant life* | *a
submarine cable*
submarine
**submarine²** also **sub** *infml* — *n* a ship, especially a warship,
which can stay under water: *a nuclear submarine*
**sub-mar-i-ner** /sʌb'mærɪnər||ˌsʌbmə'ri:nər/ *n* a sailor
working and living in a submarine
**submarine 'sandwich** also **sub** *n* *AmE* a long bread roll
split open and filled with meat, cheese etc
**sub-merge** /səb'mɜ:dʒ||-ɜ:r/ *v* [ɪn] **1** [I;T] to (cause to) go
under the surface of water: *At the first sign of danger the
submarine will submerge.* | *You have to submerge the photo-
graphic plates in the fluid.* | *dangerous submerged rocks* **2** [T]
to cover or completely hide: *Her happiness at seeing him
submerged her former worries.* | *the submerged two-thirds of
the population (=those who are not noticed, and especially
have fewer advantages than the rest)* | (fig.) *I'm absolutely
submerged in work.* (=have a very large amount to do)