subordinates
subordinates — noun
1. people in a workplace, military unit, or similar organization whose positions ar
people in a workplace, military unit, or similar organization whose positions are below yours and who take directions from you.
Felix asked two subordinates to check the fire doors before lunch.
ask subordinates to + verb
During the flood response, Mira trusted her subordinates to deliver medicine by boat.
trust subordinates with a task
The colonel praised his subordinates after the night exercise in the forest.
At the bakery, Christopher knows each of his subordinates by name.
- staff
broader and more neutral; it does not itself show lower rank
- juniors
shorter and less formal, often used inside a company or school
- underlings
more negative and suggests low status or little respect
文法句型
speak to your subordinates
trust your subordinates
praise your subordinates
用法筆記
Usually appears in formal talk about organizations or chains of command. Distinguish it from sense 2, which is a technical word-study meaning rather than a workplace one.
常見錯誤
2. words whose meanings fit inside the meaning of a broader category word.
words whose meanings fit inside the meaning of a broader category word.
In class, Eri learned that 'rose' and 'lily' are subordinates of 'flower'.
subordinates of a broader category word
The dictionary lists 'violin' and 'drum' as subordinates of 'instrument'.
When Tariro sorted animal names, 'sparrow' and 'eagle' became subordinates of 'bird'.
During the lesson, Indra wrote several subordinates of 'vehicle' on the board.
- superordinates
broader category words that include the meanings of narrower ones
文法句型
subordinates of + word
list subordinates under + category
用法筆記
This sense belongs to semantics and classification. Distinguish it from sense 1, where subordinates are people rather than words.
常見錯誤
subordinates — verb
- subordinatespresent simple I / you / we / they
- subordinateses3rd person singular
- subordinatesing-ing form
- subordinatesedpast simple
1. puts a person, idea, or activity into a lower place by treating it as less impor
puts a person, idea, or activity into a lower place by treating it as less important than something else.
The mayor subordinates park repairs to road projects in every budget plan.
subordinates X to Y
Yara never subordinates patient safety to speed in the clinic.
The film subordinates dialogue to music during the final chase scene.
The school subordinates art classes to test scores every spring.
- demotes
often focuses on lowering rank rather than lowering importance
- downgrades
suggests moving something to a lower level or priority
- subjects
stresses putting something under another power or rule
- prioritizes
treats something as more important than competing concerns
- elevates
raises something to a higher place or status
文法句型
subordinates + noun phrase + to + noun phrase
用法筆記
The usual pattern is subordinate someone or something to another priority, goal, or authority. It often appears in criticism of a decision or policy.