noun , adjective , verb
■ noun
/ ˈsʌbdʒɪkt; NAmE ; -dʒekt/
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 is my favourite subject.
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 )
—compare object noun (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 subject
■ adjective / ˈsʌbdʒekt; -dʒɪkt/
1.
subject to sth likely to be affected by sth, especially sth bad :
Flights are subject to delay because of the fog.
2.
subject 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.
subject to sth/sb under the authority of sth/sb :
All nuclear installations are subject to international safeguards.
4.
[ only before noun ] ( formal ) controlled by the government of another country :
subject peoples
■ verb
/ səbˈdʒekt/ [ vn ] subject 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.
► sub·jec·tion / səbˈdʒekʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- subject sb/sth to sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense (person) owing obedience ): from Old French suget , from Latin subjectus brought under, past participle of subicere , from sub- under + jacere throw. Senses relating to philosophy, logic, and grammar are derived ultimately from Aristotle's use of to hupokeimenon meaning material from which things are made and subject of attributes and predicates .