All 12 Uses of
subdue
in
David Copperfield
- So my mother suspected, at least, as she observed her by the low glimmer of the fire: too much scared by Miss Betsey, too uneasy in herself, and too subdued and bewildered altogether, to observe anything very clearly, or to know what to say.†
Chpt 1-3
- So Mrs. Gummidge did it; and, I am sorry to relate, cast a damp upon the festive character of our departure, by immediately bursting into tears, and sinking subdued into the arms of Ham, with the declaration that she knowed she was a burden, and had better be carried to the House at once.†
Chpt 10-12
- As they had spoken in a subdued tone, while speaking of Em'ly, I had no doubt that she was near.†
Chpt 19-21
- It was always earnest; but when it was very earnest, as it was now, there was a thrill in it that quite subdued me.†
Chpt 25-27
- And though it is terrible to you to hear,' said Mr. Wickfield, quite subdued, 'if you knew how terrible it is for me to tell, you would feel compassion for me!'†
Chpt 40-42
- He walked across the room, and came back to the same place; holding the chair with a grasp that trembled, like his subdued voice, in its earnestness.†
Chpt 40-42
- My poor little wife was in such affliction when she thought I should be annoyed, and in such a state of joy when she found I was not, that the discomfiture I had subdued, very soon vanished, and we passed a happy evening; Dora sitting with her arm on my chair while Traddles and I discussed a glass of wine, and taking every opportunity of whispering in my ear that it was so good of me not to be a cruel, cross old boy.†
Chpt 43-45
- She had chained it up again, and however it might tear her within, she subdued it to herself.†
Chpt 49-51
- That the engrossing object of— HEEP — was, next to gain, to subdue Mr. and Miss W. (of his ulterior views in reference to the latter I say nothing) entirely to himself.†
Chpt 52-54
- Deeply affected, and changed in a moment to the image of despair, Mr. Micawber regarded the serpents with a look of gloomy abhorrence (in which his late admiration of them was not quite subdued), folded them up and put them in his pocket.†
Chpt 52-54
- 'I suppose she was to be subdued and broken to their detestable mould, Heaven help her!' said I. 'And she has been.'†
Chpt 58-60
- And now, as I close my task, subduing my desire to linger yet, these faces fade away.†
Chpt 63-64 *
Definition:
-
(subdue as a verb as in: subdued the opposition) to control, prevent, or make less intense -- sometimes through forceThe exact meaning of subdue depends upon its context. For example:
- "subdued a nation" -- defeated militarily and brought under control
- "subdued the fever" -- made it less intense or defeated it
- "subdued her enthusiasm" -- made it less intense
- "subdued her fears" -- made them less intense or overcame them
- "subdued my emotions" -- kept them under control
- "subdued the crowd" -- quieted or controlled it