subordinate

Related to subordinate: subordinate debt

subordinate to (someone or something)

1. adjective Subject to the control or authority of someone or something else. They want me to oversee all day-to-day duties of this branch, but I'll still be subordinate to the regional manager. The strength of an economic market is still subordinate to that country's level of industrialization.
2. adjective Lesser or inferior in importance or authority compared to someone or something else; secondary to someone or something. Right now I consider those issues to be subordinate to having a good first impression from consumers. It can be hard when you feel subordinate to some of the other people in you
3. verb To cause someone, something, or oneself controlled by or subservient to someone or something else. The buyout will subordinate their company to the massive conglomerate that purchased them. He wasn't willing to subordinate himself to the board of directors, so they forced him to resign.
4. verb To make someone, something, or oneself lesser, inferior, or secondary to someone or something else. You're never going to get ahead in this industry if you keep subordinating yourself to others. You've got to believe in yourself, or else no one else will. It's clear that they subordinated safety to aesthetics when they were designing this car.
See also: subordinate
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

subordinate someone or something to (someone or something else)

to put someone in an inferior position to someone else; to put something in an inferior position to something else. I am going to have to subordinate you to the other manager, because she has more experience. The first thing you learn is that you must subordinate yourself to your boss.
See also: subordinate
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • day to day
  • day-to-day
  • from one day to the next
  • hands-on
  • make a day of (doing something)
  • make a day of doing
  • make a day of it
  • just another day at the office
  • fight fires
  • everything tastes of porridge
References in periodicals archive
One-third of the participants assumed the role of superior, and two-thirds of the participants assumed the role of subordinate. The administrator matched each superior with two anonymous subordinates; solid room partitions separated all three matched participants.
Participants learned that superiors would negotiate a separate (per-minute) budget for each subordinate for each work session, and that the superior would unilaterally set the final budget if the negotiating dyad did not reach agreement after two offer-counteroffer rounds.
Using budgets for performance evaluation: effects of resource allocation and horizontal information asymmetry on budget proposals, budget slack, and performance
RESERVE RELEASES & SURPLUS CASH FLOWS ENHANCE SUBORDINATE BONDS
Fitch Rates NY State EFC's NY Water 2018B SRF Bonds 'AAA'; Outlook Stable
(14) The subordinate lawyer did not know whether the supervising attorney had already communicated the offer to the client, or if the client had previously authorized the firm to reject offers at certain dollar amounts.
Marching orders: when to tell your boss "no"
For the indirect effect, a higher [theta] decreases the effort of a subordinate and increases marginal benefit for the manager.
Ability, openness, and managerial decision making
As a result, from the ARA theory, if the supervisors react positively to ingratiation, they will react even more positively if the subordinate is a female.
Gender differences: ingratiation and Leader Member Exchange Quality
Meade took just the opposite tack in dealing with his key subordinates, having been one of their peers until just three days before the battle.
Learning program management on the battlefield at Gettysburg
Second, he presents a 10-step subordinate counseling session structure.
Operational Mid-Level Management for Police, third edition
Subordinate: I really don't think the direction we're taking is the right one.
Lack of control: the physician executive's fear
Should the leader need to take adverse action on a subordinate for disciplinary reasons or poor performance, the leader does so professionally by focusing on either the disciplinary or the performance problem--and then by offering remedies.
Reflections on leadership--grow leaders!
He said that 2 DSPs along with 16 upper subordinates and 85 constables would perform security duty for category-A processions whereas one DSP along with 7 upper subordinates and 48 constables would provide security to category-B processions.
Security plan issued during Muharram
Therefore, supervisors often empower their subordinates with increased authority to cope with complex situations at work (Detert & Burris, 2007).
Power sharing and task performance: the role of work engagement and traditionality
Leadership Styles between Technical and Non-technical Superiors: Guess Who Will Give Subordinates More Freedom on the Job?
Leadership Styles between Technical and Non-technical Superiors: Guess Who Will Give Subordinates More Freedom on the Job?
In time, though, recognizing it would not be possible for those senior partners to make every client call--especially for minor questions or issues that could be addressed in a telephone conversation--he arranged for subordinates to make those contacts.
Keep clients happy