1. (v.t.)subdue to conquer and bring into subjection: Rome subdued Gaul.
2. subdue to overpower by superior force; overcome.
3. subdue to bring under mental or emotional control, as by persuasion or intimidation.
4. subdue to repress (feelings, impulses, etc.).
5. subdue to bring (land) under cultivation.
6. subdue to reduce the intensity, force, or vividness of (sound, light, color, etc.); tone down; soften.
7. subdue to allay (inflammation, infection, etc.).
Etymology: (1350–1400; ME so(b)duen, so(b)dewen < AF *soduer to overcome, OF soduire to deceive, seduce < L subdūcere to withdraw (see subduct ))
Definition of 'subdue'
Princeton's WordNet
1. (verb)repress, quash, keep down, subdue, subjugate, reduce put down by force or intimidation "The government quashes any attempt of an uprising"; "China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently"; "The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land"
2. (verb)suppress, stamp down, inhibit, subdue, conquer, curb to put down by force or authority "suppress a nascent uprising"; "stamp down on littering"; "conquer one's desires"
3. (verb)mortify, subdue, crucify hold within limits and control "subdue one's appetites"; "mortify the flesh"
4. (verb)overcome, get over, subdue, surmount, master get on top of; deal with successfully "He overcame his shyness"
5. (verb)subordinate, subdue make subordinate, dependent, or subservient "Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler"
6. (verb)tame, chasten, subdue correct by punishment or discipline
1. (verb)subdue to force sb to stop being aggressive Police subdued the rioters with tear gas.
Definition of 'subdue'
Webster Dictionary
1. (verb)subdue to bring under; to conquer by force or the exertion of superior power, and bring into permanent subjection; to reduce under dominion; to vanquish
2. (verb)subdue to overpower so as to disable from further resistance; to crush
3. (verb)subdue to destroy the force of; to overcome; as, medicines subdue a fever
4. (verb)subdue to render submissive; to bring under command; to reduce to mildness or obedience; to tame; as, to subdue a stubborn child; to subdue the temper or passions
5. (verb)subdue to overcome, as by persuasion or other mild means; as, to subdue opposition by argument or entreaties
6. (verb)subdue to reduce to tenderness; to melt; to soften; as, to subdue ferocity by tears
7. (verb)subdue to make mellow; to break, as land; also, to destroy, as weeds
8. (verb)subdue to reduce the intensity or degree of; to tone down; to soften; as, to subdue the brilliancy of colors
Definitions of subdue 
Afrikaans: onder beheer bring, oorwi
Arabic: يُخْضِع
Bulgarian: подчинявам се
Brazilian: dominar
Czech: podrobit
German: besiegen
Danish: overvinde
Greek: υποτάσσω
Spanish: someter; dominar
Estonian: alistama
Farsi: تحت تسلط در آوردن
Finnish: valloittaa
French: soumettre
Hebrew: לְהַכנִיע
Hindi: जीतना, पराजित करना, वश मे
Croatian: podjarmiti, podvrći
Hungarian: leigáz
Indonesian: menundukkan
Icelandic: yfirbuga
Italian: sottomettere
Japanese: 服従させる
Korean: 제압하다
Lithuanian: nugalėti, numalšinti, nus
Latvian: apspiest; pakļaut
Malay: menundukkan
Dutch: onderwerpen
Norwegian: underlegge seg, kue, unde
Polish: podbić, pokonać
Persian: تحت تسلط در آوردن
Pashto: ترتسلط لاندی راوړل
Portuguese: dominar
Romanian: a supune
Russian: подавлять
Slovak: podrobiť
Slovenian: podrediti
Serbian: obuzdati
Swedish: underkuva, besegra
Thai: ปราบ
Turkish: boyun eğdirmek, bastırmak
Taiwanese: 征服
Ukrainian: підкоряти; придушувати
Urdu: فتح کرنا
Vietnamese: chinh phục , khuất phục
Chinese: 征服
