subdue •\səb-ˈdü, -ˈdyü\• verb 1. put down by force or intimidation 2. hold within limits and control 3. correct by punishment or discipline 4. get on top of; deal with successfully 5. make subordinate, dependent, or subservient The word subdue has appeared in 104 New York Times articles in the past year, including on Dec. 13 in "Kim Jong-un Earns Cachet With Rocket's Success" by Choe Sang-Hun: SEOUL, South Korea - For North Korea's inexperienced young leader, Kim Jong-un, the largely successful launching on Wednesday of a long-range rocket could not have come too soon. The launching, the analysts say, will help Mr. Kim tame such discontent by bolstering the military's morale. "With this first major achievement as new leader, Kim Jong-un can boost his legitimacy as a hereditary successor and consolidate the loyalty of the elite," said Chang Yong-seok, an analyst at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University. It helps subdue the friction and tension between the old and new elites in the military and solidify its unity. The Word of the Day and its definitions have been provided by Vocabulary.com and the Visual Thesaurus. Learn more about the word "subdue" and see usage examples across a range of subjects on the Vocabulary dictionary. Click on the word below to map it and hear it pronounced: