CS Knowledge Base

From Middle English subverten, from Old French subvertir, from Latin subvertō (“to overthrow”, literally “to underturn, turn from beneath”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /səbˈvɜːt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) enPR: səbvûrtʹ, IPA^(key): /səbˈvɝt/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)t

subvert (third-person singular simple present subverts, present participle subverting, simple past and past participle subverted)

1. (transitive) To overturn from the foundation; to overthrow; to ruin utterly.

   Synonyms: devastate, erase, wreck; see also Thesaurus:destroy

   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:

     He […] razeth your cities, and subverts your towns.

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:
     , Book IV, Chapter XVIII

     This would be to subvert the principles and foundations of all knowledge.

2. (transitive) To pervert, as the mind, and turn it from the truth; to corrupt; to confound.

   Synonyms: corrupt, seduce, suborn; see also Thesaurus:pervert

   The oppressive regime stays in power only as long as they manage to subvert the will of the people.

3. (transitive) To upturn convention from the foundation by undermining it (literally, to turn from beneath).

Back-formation from subvertising, by analogy with advert.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbvət/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) enPR: sŭbʹvûrt, IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbvɚt/
• Rhymes: -ʌbvə(ɹ)t

subvert (plural subverts)

1. An advertisement created by subvertising.

• subvertisement