Obs. [f. L. subact-, pa. ppl. stem of subigĕre (see prec.).]
1. trans. To work up, as in cultivating the ground, kneading, the process of digestion, or the like.
1614. Jackson, Creed, III. III. vii. § 1. That faith could not take roote in them, vnlesse first wrought and subacted by extraordinary signes and wonders.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 411. He thinketh, that the blood is carried … into the right ventricle of the Heart…, and is there boyled attenuated and subacted.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 27. Tangible Bodies haue no pleasure in the Consort of Aire, but endenuour to subact it into a more Dense Body.
1658. trans. Porta’s Nat. Magic, IV. xii. 137. He subacts the Barn-flores with Lees of Oyl, that Mice may not eat his Corn.
1697. Evelyn, Numismata, To Rdr. Some Corners, and little Wasts, not altogether subacted.
1822. Good, Study Med., I. 10. Being softened or otherwise partially affected, instead of being entirely subacted, and reduced to chyme or chyle.
2. To bring into subjection; to subject, subdue.
1645. Bp. Hall, Rem. Discontentm., § 19. The meek spirit is … so throughly subacted, that he takes his load from God … upon his knees.
a. 1680. T. Goodwin, Life, Wks. 1703, V. I. p. xi. I lay bound as it were Hand and Foot, subacted under the Pressure of the Guilt or Wrath.
Hence † Subacted ppl. a.; † Subacter, one who works up substances.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 615. Anoint the hands of the subacter … with Oyl.
1679. Evelyn, Sylva (ed. 3), To Rdr. a. Persons of right Noble and subacted Principles. Ibid. (a. 1706), Hist. Relig. (1850), II. 375. A meek and subacted Christian.
1822. Good, Study Med., IV. 272. The absorbents which drink up the subacted food from the alvine canal.
