late 14c., "obedience, submission; servitude, bondage; lordship, control," from Anglo-French subjectioun, Old French subjection "submission; subjugation; inferior condition; captivity" (12c., Modern French sujétion), from Latin subjectionem (nominative subjectio) "a putting under," noun of action from past participle stem of subicere (see subject (n.)).

past tense and past participle of lead (v.). As an adjective, often with the implication of subjection or sycophancy.

1803, "the philosophical doctrine that the senses are the sole source of knowledge," from sensual + -ism. From 1813 as "addiction to sensual indulgence, state of subjection to sensual appetites."

"liberate from bondage or servitude, free from what holds in mental or physical subjection," 1640s, from dis- + enthrall. Related: Disenthralled; disenthralling; disenthrallment.

1798, "subjection to the rule of another power," from hetero- "other, different" + -nomy, from Greek nomos "law" (see -nomy). Related: Heteronomic; heteronomous (1817).

"ridicule, mockery, subjection to ridicule or mockery," c. 1400, from Old French derision "derision, mockery" (13c.), from Latin derisionem (nominative derisio) "a laughing to scorn, mockery," noun of action from past-participle stem of deridere "ridicule," from de "down" (see de-) + ridere "to laugh" (see risible).

1550s, "severe toil, hard work, drudgery;" from slave (v.) + -ery. The meaning "state of servitude, condition of a slave, entire subjection to the will and commands of another" is from 1570s; the sense of "the keeping or holding of slaves" is from 1728.

mid-14c., "by secret means, stealthily, in a surreptitious manner," from under + hand (n.). Perhaps the notion is of the hand turned over (thus concealing what it holds). Compare Middle Dutch onderhanden "by degrees, slowly," Dutch onderhandsch "secret, private." The adjective is attested from 1540s. Old English under hand meant "in subjection, in (one's) control or power."

late 14c., "state of being a prisoner," Old French *captivite or directly from Latin captivitatem (nominative captivitas), from captivus "caught, taken prisoner," from captus, past participle of capere "to take, hold, seize" (from PIE root *kap- "to grasp"). An Old English cognate word for it was gehæftnes (see haft). The figurative sense of "subjection, bondage, servitude" is from 1530s.

late 14c., "to conquer and reduce to subjection," from Old French souduire, but this meant "deceive, seduce," from Latin subducere "draw away, lead away, carry off; withdraw" (see subduce). The primary sense in English seems to have been taken in Anglo-French from Latin subdere and attached to this word. Related: Subdued; subduing. As an associated noun, subdual is attested from 1670s (subduction having acquired other senses).