Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To become less intense, active, or severe; abate.
  • intransitive verb To become smaller or less prominent, as swelling. synonym: decrease.
  • intransitive verb To move or sink to a lower or normal level.
  • intransitive verb To sink to the bottom, as a sediment.
  • intransitive verb To sit down slowly; settle down.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To sink or fall to the bottom; settle, as lees from a state of motion or agitation.
  • To cease from action, especially violent action or agitation; fall into a state of quiet; be calmed; become tranquil; abate: as, the storm subsided; passion subsides.
  • To fall to a lower level; tend downward; sink; fall; contract after dilatation.
  • To stop talking; be quiet; be less conspicuous: as, you had better subside.
  • Synonyms Abate, Subside. Intermit (see abate); retire, lull.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To sink or fall to the bottom; to settle, as lees.
  • intransitive verb To tend downward; to become lower; to descend; to sink.
  • intransitive verb To fall into a state of quiet; to cease to rage; to be calmed; to settle down; to become tranquil; to abate.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To sink or fall to the bottom; to settle, as lees.
  • verb To tend downward; to become lower; to descend; to sink.
  • verb To fall into a state of quiet; to cease to rage; to be calmed; to settle down; to become tranquil; to abate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb descend into or as if into some soft substance or place
  • verb sink down or precipitate
  • verb wear off or die down
  • verb sink to a lower level or form a depression

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin subsīdere : sub-, sub- + sīdere, to settle; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • The calls subside after a couple of days, then start up again a week later.

    unknown title 2009

  • The calls subside after a couple of days, then start up again a week later.

    unknown title 2009

  • The academy said children need to rest "physically and cognitively" until symptoms subside, which is usually a week or two.

    Concussions Rise Among Student Athletes 2010

  • God's method of arresting the flood and making its waters subside is poetically called a "rebuke" (Ps 76: 6;

    Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible 1871

  • Quentin felt the magic of his sword subside, a red haze fading into twinges of emptiness and unfulfilled need, a mix of emotions that tore at him like brambles.

    Antrax Brooks, Terry 2001

  • "I didn't know you had such a word as 'subside' in your vocabulary," derided David Nesbit.

    Grace Harlowe's Problem Jessie Graham [pseud.] Flower

  • For many of these patients, the risk for PE will never "subside" so IVC removal isn't an appealing prospect.

    Medgadget 2010

  • When do you think that and you've mentioned that I think now, a couple of quarters, that you expect those numbers to kind of subside, but you were still kind of hanging on the 2 million range.

    Healthcare Sector and Stocks Analysis from Seeking Alpha 2009

  • If you own an RV, convertible, etc as mentioned in the article then factor that into the cost of ownership of these vehicles ... it is not my role as a tax payer to 'subside' your recreational activities, although I like that you have them (I, for instance, have two motorcycles along with my 4-wheel cage ...)

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2009

  • If you own an RV, convertible, etc as mentioned in the article then factor that into the cost of ownership of these vehicles ... it is not my role as a tax payer to 'subside' your recreational activities, although I like that you have them (I, for instance, have two motorcycles along with my 4-wheel cage ...)

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2009

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