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Serious or subdued in demeanor, habit, appearance, or color; solemn; grave; sedate. What parts gay France from sober Spain Prior. See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby. Pope. Twilight gray Had in her sober livery all things clad. Milton.

To distress or subdue by famine; as, to starvea garrison into a surrender. Attalus endeavored to starve Italy by stopping their convoy of provisions from Africa. Arbuthnot.

it; to assist. Perhaps my succour or advisement meet, Mote stead you much your purpose to subdue. Spenser. It nothing steads us To chide him from our eaves. Shak.

Not easily subdued; unyielding; stubborn; obstinate; pertinacious; as, a stiff adversary. It is a shame to stand stiff in a foolish argument. Jer. Taylor. A war ensues: the Cretans own their cause, Stiff to defend their hospitable laws. Dryden.

To grow strong or stronger. The young disease, that must subdue at length, Grows with his growth, and strengthens with his strength. Pope.

easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town.

To reduce; to subdue. [Obs.] Bacon.

Able to be subdued.

To bring under control, power, or dominion; to make subject; to subordinate; to subdue. Firmness of mind that subjects every gratification of sense to the rule of right reason. C. Middleton. In one short view subjected to our eye, Gods, emperors, heroes, sages, beauties, lie. Pope. He is the most subjected, the most Lo…

To subdue, and bring under the yoke of power or dominion; to conquer by force, and compel to submit to the government or absolute control of another; to vanquish. He subjugated a king, and called him his "vassal." Baker.

To make subject; to subject or subdue; as, to subordinate the passions to reason. -- Sub*or"di*nate*ly, adv. -- Sub*or"di*nate*ness, n.

Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; -- with to. There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings. Spectator.

To overpower and crush; to subdue; to put down; to quell. Every rebellion, when it is suppressed, doth make the subject weaker, and the prince stronger. Sir J. Davies.

She could not sway her house. Shak. This was the race To sway the world, and land and sea subdue. Dryden.

Capable of being tamed, subdued, or reclaimed from wildness or savage ferociousness. -- Tam"a*ble*ness, n.

Crushed; subdued; depressed; spiritless. Tame slaves of the laborious plow. Roscommon.

One who tames or subdues.

To crush under the foot; to trample in contempt or hatred; to subdue. Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. Ps. xliv. 5.

Not broken; continuous; unsubdued; as, an unbroken colt.

Not daunted; not subdued or depressed by fear. Shak.