EnglishMain Dictionary
subject
Universal Words
noun, adjective, verb
noun
of conversation / book
1 [C] a thing or person that is being discussed, described or dealt with:
an unpleasant subject of conversation * books on many different subjects * a magazine article on the subject of space travel * I have nothing more to say on the subject. * I wish you'd change the subject (= talk about sth else). * How did we get onto the subject of marriage? * We seem to have got off the subject we're meant to be discussing. * Nelson Mandela is the subject of a new biography. * Climate change is still very much a subject for debate.
at school / college
2 [C] an area of knowledge studied in a school, college, etc:
Biology and English are my favourite subjects.
of picture / photograph
3 a person or thing that is the main feature of a picture or photograph, or that a work of art is based on:
Focus the camera on the subject. * Classical landscapes were a popular subject with many 18th-century painters.
of experiment
4 [C] a person or thing being used to study sth, especially in an experiment:
We need male subjects between the ages of 18 and 25 for the experiment.
grammar
5 [C] a noun, noun phrase or pronoun representing the person or thing that performs the action of the verb (I in I sat down.), about which sth is stated (the house in The house is very old.) or, in a PASSIVE sentence, that is affected by the action of the verb (the tree in The tree was blown down in the storm.)
compareOBJECTn.(4), PREDICATE
of country
6 a person who has the right to belong to a particular country, especially one with a king or queen:
a British / French subject -< CITIZEN
adjective
1 ~ to sth likely to be affected by sth, especially sth bad:
Flights are subject to delay because of the fog. * Smokers are more subject to heart attacks than non-smokers.
2 ~ to sth depending on sth in order to be completed or agreed:
The article is ready to publish, subject to your approval. * All the holidays on offer are subject to availability.
3 ~ to sth/sb under the authority of sth/sb:
All nuclear installations are subject to international safeguards. * As a diplomat, he is not subject to local laws.
4 [onlybeforenoun] (formal) controlled by the government of another country:
subject peoples
verb [VN] ~ sth (to sth) (formal) to bring a country or group of people under your control, especially by using force:
The Roman Empire subjected most of Europe to its rule.
subjection noun [U]
PHRASALVERBS
subject sb/sth to sth [oftenpassive] (written) to make sb/sth experience, suffer or be affected by sth, usually sth unpleasant:
to be subjected to abuse / ridicule / harassment / criticism * The city was subjected to heavy bombing. * The defence lawyers claimed that the prisoners had been subjected to cruel and degrading treatment.
