sub
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sub (sandwich)
A sandwich served on a long roll of bread, typically six inches to several feet in length, filled with a variety of ingredients including meat, cheese, and vegetables. Primarily heard in US. This restaurant across the road from our office makes the best sub sandwich in the city. I've gotten to where I go there two or three times a week for lunch. I'm ordering a few four-foot subs for the party this weekend, so if you have any food allergies, let me know before tomorrow.
See also: sub
sub for (someone or something)
1. To act as a substitute for someone or something. ("Sub" is an abbreviation of "substitute.") I'm subbing for Eric for the next few days while he recovers in the hospital. Don't believe anyone who tries to convince you that low-fat cooking sprays can sub for real butter or olive oil and not taste any different.
2. To use, employ, or instruct someone or something to act as a substitute for someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "sub" and "for." With a healthy 30-point lead, the coach subbed the rookie for the star quarter back to give him some experience on the field. Let's try subbing an AC motor for the DC one we've been using and see if that improves the results.
sub in (for someone or something)
1. To act as a substitute for someone or something. ("Sub" is an abbreviation of "substitute.") Eric is going to be in the hospital for the next few days recovering from his surgery, so I'll be subbing in. Don't believe anyone who tries to convince you that low-fat cooking sprays can sub in for butter or oil without affecting the taste of your food.
2. To use, employ, or instruct someone or something to act as a substitute for someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "sub" and "in." With a healthy 30-point lead, the coach subbed the rookie quarterback in to give him some experience on the field. Let's try subbing a placebo in for the active ingredient and see if it changes the outcome.
sub out
1. To exit some event or activity and be replaced by someone else. ("Sub" is an abbreviation of "substitute.") The star quarterback is subbing out after sustaining an injury to his ankle.
2. To replace someone or something with someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "sub" and out." With a healthy 30-point lead, the coach subbed the star quarterback for the rookie to give him some experience on the field. Don't believe anyone who tries to convince you that you can sub butter or oil out with low-fat cooking sprays without affecting the taste of your food.
sub rosa
Privately. This Latin phrase (meaning "under the rose") refers to the ancient use of the rose as a symbol of secrecy. No, I had no idea they were planning to reject the proposal. They must have reached that decision sub rosa.
See also: sub
submarine (sandwich)
A sandwich served on a long roll of bread, typically six inches to several feet in length, filled with a variety of ingredients, usually some combination of meat, cheese, and vegetables. Often shortened to "sub" or "sub sandwich," and known by different names in different regions, such as "hoagie" and "hero." This restaurant across the road from our office makes the best submarine sandwich in the city.
See also: submarine
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
sub for someone or something
to substitute for someone or something. I have to sub for Roger at work this weekend. Will pliers sub for the wrench you wanted?
sub someone for (someone else)
and sub something for something elseto substitute someone for someone else or something for something else. I will sub Chuck for Roger for this next play only. We will sub the red ones for the blue ones.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
sub
1. n. a substitute. I was a sub in the school system for a while.
2. in. to serve as a temporary replacement. I subbed for Mary in a couple of games.
3. n. a submarine. I was aboard a sub for twenty minutes—and that was at Disney World.
4. Go to submarine (sense 1).
5. n. a subscription, as to a magazine. I got a sub to a computer magazine for my birthday.
submarine
1. and sub and hoagy and torpedo and grinder and poor boy and hero n. a long sandwich containing many different foods. (Sometimes many feet long. It is cut into smaller segments for serving a group. Usually contains sliced meats and cheese, as well as tomatoes and onions. Terms vary depending on where you are in the country.) He ordered a submarine, but he couldn’t finish it.
2. n. a large marijuana cigarette. Look at the size of that sub!
3. n. [menstrual] tampon. My God! I’m out of submarines!
sub
verbSee submarine
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.