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1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Subtleties are very small details or differences which are not obvious. □ [+ of ] His fascination with the subtleties of human behaviour makes him a good storyteller. □  When a book goes into translation, all those linguistic subtleties get lost.


2 N‑UNCOUNT Subtlety is the quality of being not immediately obvious or noticeable, and therefore difficult to describe. □ [+ of ] English lamb does not have the subtlety of flavour of Pyrennean lamb.


3 N‑UNCOUNT Subtlety is the ability to notice and recognize things which are not obvious, especially small differences between things. □  She analyses herself with great subtlety.


4 N‑UNCOUNT Subtlety is the ability to use indirect methods to achieve something, rather than doing something that is obvious. □  They had obviously been hoping to approach the topic with more subtlety.

sub|to|tal /sʌ btoʊt ə l/ (subtotals ) also sub-total N‑COUNT A subtotal is a figure that is the result of adding some numbers together but is not the final total.

sub|tract /səbtræ kt/ (subtracts , subtracting , subtracted ) VERB If you subtract one number from another, you do a calculation in which you take it away from the other number. For example, if you subtract 3 from 5, you get 2. □ [V n + from ] Mandy subtracted the date of birth from the date of death. □ [V n] We have subtracted $25 per adult to arrive at a basic room rate. ●  sub|trac|tion /səbtræ kʃ ə n/ (subtractions ) N‑VAR □  She's ready to learn simple addition and subtraction. □  I looked at what he'd given me and did a quick subtraction.

su b-tro pical also subtropical ADJ Sub-tropical places have a climate that is warm and wet, and are often near tropical regions. □  …the sub-tropical region of the Chapare.

sub|urb /sʌ bɜː r b/ (suburbs )


1 N‑COUNT A suburb of a city or large town is a smaller area which is part of the city or large town but is outside its centre. □ [+ of ] Anna was born in 1923 in Ardwick, a suburb of Manchester.


2 N‑PLURAL [oft in the N ] If you live in the suburbs , you live in an area of houses outside the centre of a large town or city. □  His family lived in the suburbs. □  …Bombay's suburbs.

sub|ur|ban /səbɜː r bən/ ADJ [ADJ n] Suburban means relating to a suburb. □  …a suburban shopping centre in Sydney.

sub|ur|bia /səbɜː r biə/ N‑UNCOUNT Journalists often use suburbia to refer to the suburbs of cities and large towns considered as a whole. □  …images of bright summer mornings in leafy suburbia.

sub|ver|sion /səbvɜː r ʃ ə n, [AM ] -ʒ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Subversion is the attempt to weaken or destroy a political system or a government. □  He was arrested in parliament on charges of subversion for organizing the demonstration.

sub|ver|sive /səbvɜː r s I v/ (subversives )


1 ADJ Something that is subversive is intended to weaken or destroy a political system or government. □  This courageous and subversive movie has attracted widespread critical support.


2 N‑COUNT Subversives are people who attempt to weaken or destroy a political system or government. □  Agents regularly rounded up suspected subversives.

sub|vert /səbvɜː r t/ (subverts , subverting , subverted ) VERB To subvert something means to destroy its power and influence. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …an alleged plot to subvert the state.

sub|way /sʌ bwe I / (subways )


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