subject to

be subject to (something)

1. To be guided, controlled, or ruled by something. Remember, when you travel to a foreign country, you are subject to their unique laws and traditions, not your own. I'm afraid our stores are subject to the rules established by the corporate headquarters, so there's nothing we can do about it here. Of course, all of our plans there will be subject to the weather—if we get nothing but rain, we'll be spending the vacation indoors.

2. To be required to receive, incur, or experience something. During your stay at this institution, your room will be subject to weekly inspections. Any company caught misrepresenting its tax liabilities will be subject to an external audit carried out by our regulatory branch. How much oversight will our team be subject to?

3. To be prone or susceptible to something; to be likely or inclined to incur or experience something. I've been subject to hay fever since I was a child. While the small island usually gets blissful sunshine, its location means it is subject to awful storms every now and then. Because I sit so close to the hiring manager's office, I'm subject to the awkward conversations she has with the candidates that didn't get the job.

See also: subject, to

subject (one) to (someone or something)

To force one to tolerate, endure, or deal with someone or something. I'm sorry for subjecting you to my dad's political rant. He can't talk about anything else at dinner. They subjected the prisoner to all sorts of physical and mental torture to extract information from him.

See also: subject, to

subject to (something)

1. Guided, controlled, or ruled by something. Remember, when you travel to a foreign country, you are subject to their unique laws and traditions, not your own. I'm afraid our stores are subject to the rules established by the corporate headquarters, so there's nothing we can do about it here. Of course, all of our plans there will be subject to the weather—if we get nothing but rain, we'll be spending the vacation indoors.

2. Required to receive, incur, or experience something. During your stay at this institution, your room will be subject to weekly inspections. Any company caught misrepresenting its tax liabilities will be subject to an external audit carried out by our regulatory branch.

3. Prone or susceptible to something; likely or inclined to incur or experience something. I've been subject to hay fever since I was a child. While the small island usually gets blissful sunshine, its location means it is subject to awful storms every now and then.

See also: subject, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

subject someone or something to something

to cause someone to endure someone or something. I didn't mean to subject you to Uncle Harry. I am sorry I have to subject you to all this questioning.

See also: subject, to

subject to something

likely to have something, such as a physical disorder, The sick man was subject to dizzy spells. I am subject to frequent headaches.

See also: subject, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

subject to

v.

To cause someone to undergo or experience something: The commander subjected the troops to daily inspections. The oil platform was subjected to extreme weather.

See also: subject, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.