American English

Definition of subside verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary



    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they subside
    he / she / it subsides
    past simple subsided
    -ing form subsiding
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  1. 1[intransitive] to become calmer or quieter She waited nervously for his anger to subside. When the rain had subsided we continued our walk. I took an aspirin and the pain gradually subsided. He waited until the laughter had subsided before continuing his story.
  2. 2[intransitive] (of water) to go back to a normal level The flood waters gradually subsided.
  3. 3[intransitive] (of land or a building) to sink to a lower level; to sink lower into the ground Weak foundations caused the house to subside.
See the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary entry: subside