subordination

sub·or·di·nate

 (sə-bôr′dn-ĭt)

adj.

1. Belonging to a lower or inferior class or rank; secondary.

2. Subject to the authority or control of another.

n.

One that is subordinate.

tr.v. (sə-bôr′dn-āt′) sub·or·di·nat·ed, sub·or·di·nat·ing, sub·or·di·nates

1. To put in a lower or inferior rank or class.

2. To make subservient; subdue.

---

[Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, to put in a lower rank : Latin sub-, sub- + Latin ōrdināre, to set in order (from ōrdō, ōrdin-, order; see ar- in Indo-European roots).]

---

sub·or′di·nate·ly adv.

sub·or′di·nate·ness, sub·or′di·na′tion (-nā′shən) n.

sub·or′di·na′tive (-nə′tĭv) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Subordination

 

bench warmer A substitute or replacement; a second- or third-stringer; an idler or observer, as opposed to a participant. The term comes from sports, where it applies to those players not proficient enough to make the first team and who consequently spend most of a game sitting on the bench. The expression has also been used for hobos who while away the time on park benches.

on a back burner See ABEYANCE.

play second fiddle To play a subordinate role, to serve in a secondary capacity; to be of inferior rank or status, to be second best or second rate. Violinists, as well as other musicians in orchestras and bands, are generally categorized into classes of first, second, and third. First is comprised of the best musicians who play the lead parts; second and third consist of musicians of lesser ability who play subordinate parts.

She had inherited from her mother an extreme objection to playing, in any orchestra whatever, the second fiddle. (James Payn, A Grape from a Thorn)

take a back seat To occupy an inferior or subordinate position; to be put aside in favor of someone or something more important. The expression probably derives from the practice of preferential seating at public functions, where the front seats are always reserved for VIP’s and other persons of note, while less socially significant persons have to take the seats to the rear and consequently enjoy a less advantageous view of the proceedings. The phrase appeared in its figurative sense as early as 1859 in Harper’s Magazine.

Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1980 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	subordination - the state of being subordinate to something dependence, dependency, dependance - the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else
	2.	subordination - the semantic relation of being subordinate or belonging to a lower rank or class hyponymy semantic relation - a relation between meanings
	3.	subordination - the grammatical relation of a modifying word or phrase to its head grammatical relation - a linguistic relation established by grammar
	4.	subordination - the quality of obedient submissiveness submissiveness - the trait of being willing to yield to the will of another person or a superior force etc. insubordination - defiance of authority
	5.	subordination - the act of mastering or subordinating someone mastery domination - social control by dominating

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

subordination

noun inferiority, servitude, subjection, inferior or secondary status the social subordination of women

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

subordination

subordinazione

subordinação

subordination

[səˌbɔːdɪˈneɪʃən] N → subordinación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

subordination

[səˌbɔː^rdɪˈneɪʃ^ən] n → subordination fsub-plot subplot [ˈsʌbplɒt] n [play, film, novel] → intrigue f secondaire

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

subordination

n (= subjection) → Unterordnung f (→ to unter +acc)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

subordination

[səˌbɔːdɪˈneɪʃ/ən] n → subordinazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995