Definition "subject" in Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus, spelling "subject"

subject (subjects plural & 3rd person present) (subjecting present participle) (subjected past tense & past participle )
The noun and adjective are pronounced [PH:s][PH:^][PH:b][PH:d][PH:Z][PH:I][PH:k][PH:t]. The verb is pronounced [PH:s][PH:&][PH:b][PH:d][PH:Z][PH:e][PH:k][PH:t].

1 n-count The subject of something such as a conversation, letter, or book is the thing that is being discussed or written about.
It was I who first raised the subject of plastic surgery., ...the president's own views on the subject.

2 n-count Someone or something that is the subject of criticism, study, or an investigation is being criticized, studied, or investigated.
N of n
Over the past few years, some of the positions Mr. Meredith has adopted have made him the subject of criticism..., He's now the subject of an official inquiry.

3 n-count A subject is an area of knowledge or study, especially one that you study at school, college, or university.
...a tutor in maths and science subjects.

4 n-count In an experiment or piece of research, the subject is the person or animal that is being tested or studied.
FORMAL `White noise' was played into the subject's ears through headphones...

5 n-count An artist's subjects are the people, animals, or objects that he or she paints, models, or photographs.
with supp
Her favourite subjects are shells spotted on beach walks.

6 n-count In grammar, the subject of a clause is the noun group that refers to the person or thing that is doing the action expressed by the verb. For example, in `My cat keeps catching birds', `my cat' is the subject.

7 adj To be subject to something means to be affected by it or to be likely to be affected by it.
v-link ADJ to n
Prices may be subject to alteration..., In addition, interest on Treasury issues isn't subject to state and local income taxes.

8 adj If someone is subject to a particular set of rules or laws, they have to obey those rules or laws.
v-link ADJ to n
The tribunal is unique because Mr Jones is not subject to the normal police discipline code.

9 verb If you subject someone to something unpleasant, you make them experience it.
...the man who had subjected her to four years of beatings and abuse... V n to n

10 n-count The people who live in or belong to a particular country, usually one ruled by a monarch, are the subjects of that monarch or country.
with supp
Roughly half of them are British subjects.

11 When someone involved in a conversation changes the subject, they start talking about something else, often because the previous subject was embarrassing.
♦ change the subject phrase V inflects
He tried to change the subject, but she wasn't to be put off.

12 If an event will take place subject to a condition, it will take place only if that thing happens.
♦ subject to sth prep-phrase
They denied a report that Egypt had agreed to a summit, subject to certain conditions.