- subject
- ♦♦subjects, subjecting, subjected(The noun and adjective are pronounced [[t]sʌ̱bʤɪkt[/t]]. The verb is pronounced [[t]səbʤe̱kt[/t]].)1) N-COUNT The subject of something such as a conversation, letter, or book is the thing that is being discussed or written about.
It was I who first raised the subject of plastic surgery.
...the president's own views on the subject.
...steering the conversation round to his favourite subject.
Syn:2) N-COUNT: N of n Someone or something that is the subject of criticism, study, or an investigation is being criticized, studied, or investigated.Over the past few years, some of the positions Mr. Meredith has adopted have made him the subject of criticism...
He's now the subject of an official inquiry.
3) N-COUNT A subject is an area of knowledge or study, especially one that you study at school, college, or university.Surprisingly, mathematics was voted their favourite subject.
...a tutor in maths and science subjects.
4) N-COUNT In an experiment or piece of research, the subject is the person or animal that is being tested or studied. [FORMAL]`White noise' was played into the subject's ears through headphones...
Subjects in the study were asked to follow a modified diet.
5) N-COUNT: with supp An artist's subjects are the people, animals, or objects that he or she paints, models, or photographs.Her favourite subjects are shells spotted on beach walks.
6) N-COUNT In grammar, the subject of a clause is the noun group that refers to the person or thing that is doing the action expressed by the verb. For example, in `My cat keeps catching birds', `my cat' is the subject.7) ADJ: v-link ADJ to n To be subject to something means to be affected by it or to be likely to be affected by it.Prices may be subject to alteration...
In addition, interest on Treasury issues isn't subject to state and local income taxes.
...a disorder in which the person's mood is subject to wild swings from mania to depression.
8) ADJ: v-link ADJ to n If someone is subject to a particular set of rules or laws, they have to obey those rules or laws.The tribunal is unique because Mr Jones is not subject to the normal police discipline code.
...arguing that as a sovereign state it could not be subject to another country's laws.
9) VERB If you subject someone to something unpleasant, you make them experience it.[V n to n] ...the man who had subjected her to four years of beatings and abuse...
[V n to n] Innocent civilians are being arrested and subjected to inhumane treatment.
10) N-COUNT: with supp The people who live in or belong to a particular country, usually one ruled by a monarch, are the subjects of that monarch or country....his subjects regarded him as a great and wise monarch...
Roughly half of them are British subjects.
11) ADJ: ADJ n Subject peoples and countries are ruled or controlled by the government of another country. [FORMAL]The subject peoples of her empire were anxious for their own independence.
...colonies and other subject territories.
12) PHRASE: V inflects When someone involved in a conversation changes the subject, they start talking about something else, often because the previous subject was embarrassing.He tried to change the subject, but she wasn't to be put off.
13) PHR-PREP If an event will take place subject to a condition, it will take place only if that thing happens.They denied a report that Egypt had agreed to a summit, subject to certain conditions.
English dictionary. 2008.
