subvert

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: sub=vert

CIDE DICTIONARY

subvert, v. t. [L. subvertere, subversum; sub under + vertere to turn: cf. F. subvertir. See Verse.].

•  To overturn from the foundation; to overthrow; to ruin utterly.  [1913 Webster]

  "These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength,
  With which he yoketh your rebellious necks,
  Razeth your cities, and subverts your towns."  [1913 Webster]

  "This would subvert the principles of all knowledge."  [1913 Webster]
•  To pervert, as the mind, and turn it from the truth; to corrupt; to confound.  2 Tim. iii. 14.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To overturn; overthrow; destroy; invert; reverse; extinguish.

subvert, v. i. 

 To overthrow anything from the foundation; to be subversive.  [1913 Webster]
"They have a power given to them like that of the evil principle, to subvert and destroy."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

subvert, v.tr. esp. Polit. overturn, overthrow, or upset (religion, government, the monarchy, morality, etc.).

Derivative

subverter n.

Etymology

ME f. OF subvertir or L subvertere (as SUB-, vertere vers- turn)

THESAURUS

subvert

accommodate, adapt, adjust, alienate, alter, ameliorate, answer, answer conclusively, argue down, arise, better, brainwash, break up, capsize, careen, change, confound, confute, contradict, controvert, convert, corrupt, counterindoctrinate, crush, culbuter, debase, defeat, deform, demolish, denature, deny, deprave, destroy, dismiss, dispose of, diversify, finish, fit, floor, honeycomb, improve, indoctrinate, insurge, insurrect, keel over, meliorate, mitigate, modify, modulate, mount the barricades, mutate, mutineer, mutiny, nonplus, overset, overthrow, overturn, overwhelm, parry, pervert, put to silence, qualify, re-create, realign, rebel, rebuild, rebut, reconstruct, redesign, reduce to silence, refit, reform, refute, reindoctrinate, reluct, reluctate, remake, renew, reshape, restructure, revamp, revive, revolt, revolute, revolution, revolutionize, ring the changes, riot, rise, rise up, ruin, run riot, sabotage, sap, sap the foundations, settle, shift the scene, shuffle the cards, shut up, silence, smash all opposition, squash, squelch, strike, throw down, throw over, tip over, topple, topple over, topsy-turvify, topsy-turvy, turn a somersault, turn over, turn the scale, turn the tables, turn the tide, turn topsy-turvy, turn turtle, turn upside down, undermine, upend, upset, upturn, vary, weaken, win away, work a change, worsen, wreck

ROGET THESAURUS

subvert

Destruction

VB be destroyed, perish, fall to the ground, tumble, topple, go to pieces, fall to pieces, break up, crumble to dust, go to the dogs, go to the wall, go to smash, go to shivers, go to wreck, go to pot, go to wrack and ruin, go by the board, go all to smash, be all over, be all up, be all with, totter to its fall, destroy, do away with, make away with, nullify, annual, sacrifice, demolish, tear up, overturn, overthrow, overwhelm, upset, subvert, put an end to, seal the doom of, do in, do for, dish, undo, break up, cut up, break down, cut down, pull down, mow down, blow down, beat down, suppress, quash, put down, do a job on, cut short, take off, blot out, dispel, dissipate, dissolve, consume, smash, crash, quell, squash, squelch, crumple up, shatter, shiver, batter to pieces, tear to pieces, crush to pieces, cut to pieces, shake to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, laniate, nip, tear to rags, tear to tatters, crush to atoms, knock to atoms, ruin, strike out, throw over, knock down over, fell, sink, swamp, scuttle, wreck, shipwreck, engulf, ingulf, submerge, lay in ashes, lay in ruins, sweep away, erase, wipe out, expunge, raze, level with the dust, level with the ground, waste, atomize, vaporize, deal destruction, desolate, devastate, lay waste, ravage gut, disorganize, dismantle, devour, swallow up, sap, mine, blast, bomb, blow to smithereens, drop the big one, confound, exterminate, extinguish, quench, annihilate, snuff out, put out, stamp out, trample out, lay in the dust, trample in the dust, prostrate, tread under foot, crush under foot, trample under foot, lay the ax to the root of, make short work of, make clean sweep of, make mincemeat of, cut up root and branch, chop into pieces, cut into ribbons, fling to the winds, scatter to the winds, throw overboard, strike at the root of, sap the foundations of, spring a mine, blow up, ravage with fire and sword, cast to the dogs, eradicate.

Inversion

VB be inverted, turn round, turn about, turn to the right about, go round, go about, go to the right about, wheel round, wheel about, wheel to the right about, turn over, go over, tilt over, topple over, capsize, turn turtle, invert, subvert, retrovert, introvert, reverse, up turn, over turn, up set, over set, turn topsy turvy, culbuter, transpose, put the cart before the horse, turn the tables.

Depression

VB depress, lower, let down, take down, let down a peg, take down a peg, cast, let drop, let fall, sink, debase, bring low, abase, reduce, detrude, pitch, precipitate, overthrow, overturn, overset, upset, subvert, prostate, level, fell, cast down, take down, throw down, fling down, dash down, pull down, cut down, knock down, hew down, raze, raze to the ground, rase to the ground, trample in the dust, pull about one's ears, sit, sit down, couch, squat, crouch, stoop, bend, bow, courtesy, curtsy, bob, duck, dip, kneel, bend the knee, bow the knee, bend the head, bow the head, cower, recline.

Counter Evidence

VB countervail, oppose, mitigate against, rebut, subvert, cheek, weaken, contravene, contradict, tell the other side of the story, tell another story, turn the scale, alter the case, turn the tables, cut both ways, prove a negative, audire alteram partem.