Subside
/səbˈsaɪd/noun
To sink lower, settle down, or become less intense.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *subsidere*, a military term for troops ‘sitting down’ in ambush or reserve, so the calm in *subside* hides an old image of concealed force.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
subsīdere
“to sink down, settle, or crouch in reserve”
Late Latin
Latin
subsidere
“to settle lower; to sink beneath the surface”
Old French
Old French
subsidier
“to lessen, abate, or subside”
14th Century
English
subsiden
“to sink down or become less”
Modern English
English
subside
“to sink, settle, or diminish in intensity”