subject

—subjectable, adj. —subjectability, n. —subjectedly, adv. —subjectedness, n. —subjectless, adj. —subjectlike, adj.

n., adj. /sub"jikt/; v. /seuhb jekt"/, n.

1. that which forms a basic matter of thought, discussion, investigation, etc.: a subject of conversation.

2. a branch of knowledge as a course of study: He studied four subjects in his first year at college.

3. a motive, cause, or ground: a subject for complaint.

4. the theme of a sermon, book, story, etc.

5. the principal melodic motif or phrase in a musical composition, esp. in a fugue.

6. an object, scene, incident, etc., chosen by an artist for representation, or as represented in art.

7. a person who is under the dominion or rule of a sovereign.

8. a person who owes allegiance to a government and lives under its protection: four subjects of Sweden.

9. Gram. (in English and many other languages) a syntactic unit that functions as one of the two main constituents of a simple sentence, the other being the predicate, and that consists of a noun, noun phrase, or noun substitute which often refers to the one performing the action or being in the state expressed by the predicate, as He in He gave notice.

10. a person or thing that undergoes or may undergo some action: As a dissenter, he found himself the subject of the group's animosity.

11. a person or thing under the control or influence of another.

12. a person as an object of medical, surgical, or psychological treatment or experiment.

13. a cadaver used for dissection.

14. Logic. that term of a proposition concerning which the predicate is affirmed or denied.

15. Philos.

a. that which thinks, feels, perceives, intends, etc., as contrasted with the objects of thought, feeling, etc.

b. the self or ego.

16. Metaphysics. that in which qualities or attributes inhere; substance.

adj.

17. being under domination, control, or influence (often fol. by to).

18. being under dominion, rule, or authority, as of a sovereign, state, or some governing power; owing allegiance or obedience (often fol. by to).

19. open or exposed (usually fol. by to): subject to ridicule.

20. being dependent or conditional upon something (usually fol. by to): His consent is subject to your approval.

21. being under the necessity of undergoing something (usually fol. by to): All beings are subject to death.

22. liable; prone (usually fol. by to): subject to headaches.

v.t.

23. to bring under domination, control, or influence (usually fol. by to).

24. to bring under dominion, rule, or authority, as of a conqueror or a governing power (usually fol. by to).

25. to cause to undergo the action of something specified; expose (usually fol. by to): to subject metal to intense heat.

26. to make liable or vulnerable; lay open; expose (usually fol. by to): to subject oneself to ridicule.

27. Obs. to place beneath something; make subjacent.

[1275-1325; (adj.) < L subjectus placed beneath, inferior, open to inspection, orig. ptp. of subicere to throw or place beneath, make subject, equiv. to sub- SUB- + -jec-, comb. form of jacere to throw + -tus ptp. suffix; r. ME suget < OF < L, as above; (n.) < LL subjectum grammatical or dialectical subject, n. use of neut. of subjectus; r. ME suget, as above; (v.) < L subjectare, freq. of subicere; r. ME suget(t)en < OF sugetter < L, as above]

Syn. 1, 4. SUBJECT, THEME, TOPIC are often interchangeable to express the material being considered in a speech or written composition. SUBJECT is a broad word for whatever is treated in writing, speech, art, etc.: the subject for discussion. THEME and TOPIC are usually narrower and apply to some limited or specific part of a general subject. A THEME is often the underlying conception of a discourse or composition, perhaps not put into words but easily recognizable: The theme of a need for reform runs throughout her work. A TOPIC is the statement of what is to be treated in a section of a composition: The topic is treated fully in this section. 3. reason, rationale. 17. subordinate, subservient. 20. contingent.

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