Other forms: subdued, subduing, subdues
To subdue is to bring somebody or something under control by force. Subdue the rebellion, subdue the flames, subdued him.
It implies overcoming resistance rather than persuading, and it belongs to fighting, firefighting and policing. Subdued as an adjective has drifted into meaning quiet and low-key — subdued lighting, a subdued mood — which sounds nothing like the verb. Note that the Latin behind it means to draw away from below, which is a more devious image than the modern force.
1verbsubdueTo bring somebody or something under control by force.
“It took three police officers to subdue the struggling man.”
2adjectivequietQuiet and low-key, as subdued.
“The mood at the office party was subdued after the news of job cuts.”
subdue is a bringing under control.
Also accepted in games: overpower
Latin subducere means to draw away from below, and it was probably confused with subdere, to subdue. The two Latin verbs merged into one English one.
Proto-Indo-European
*dewk-
Latin
subdūcō — to draw away
Old French
souduire
Middle English
subdewen
English, today
subdue
Built from
From Middle English subdewen, subduen, sodewen, from Old French souduire, from Latin subdūcō (“to draw away”), perhaps influenced by subdō (“to subdue, subject”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Sharper Verbs, Hitting & Pushing