a. [ad. L. subjacentem, pr. pple. of subjacēre, f. sub- SUB- 2 + jacēre to lie. Cf. F. subjacent.]

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  1.  Situated underneath or below; underlying.

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  a.  in general use.

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1609.  J. Davies, Holy Roode (1878), 13/2. Such Sight a squemish stomacke ouerturnes, But comforts mine, with Matter subiacent.

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1611.  Cotgr., Subiacent, subiacent; vnder-lying.

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1660.  Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., i. 34. Not the incumbent Atmosphere, but onely the subjacent Air in the brass Cylinder.

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1682.  Piers, Descr. W. Meath (1770), 29. The subjacent liquor in the glass.

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1754.  Phil. Trans., XLIX. 144. Whatever part of this vapour begins to … subside first, will carry down with it part of the subjacent vapour.

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1875.  Croll, Clim. & Time, x. 172. The whole of the surface-film, being chilled at the same time, sinks through the subjacent water.

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  b.  Anat. and Bot. of nerves, bones, tissues, etc. (Const. to.)

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1597.  A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 10/3. The foresayed subjacent or subiectede membrane.

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1758.  Phil. Trans., LI. 176. The ramifications of the subjacent blood-vessels.

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1787.  trans. Linnæus’ Fam. Plants, 479. There are two concave impressions from the back, prominent underneath, which compress the subjacent wings.

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1813.  J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 2. The skin and subjacent cellular membrane.

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1881.  Mivart, Cat, 15. If the muscles be cut away, we come sooner or later to subjacent bones.

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1896.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., I. 238. Parts subjacent to cutaneous surfaces.

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  c.  Geol. of strata, rocks, deposits, etc.

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1695.  Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, III. (1723), 137. The subjacent Strata.

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1856.  Stanley, Sinai & Pal., i. (1858), 6/2. This red colour I ascertained to be caused by the subjacent red sandstone.

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1873.  Geikie, Gt. Ice Age, ii. 5. Subjacent and intercalated beds.

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1883.  Law Rep., 10 Q. B. Div. 562. A piece of land was granted with a reservation of the whole of the subjacent minerals to the superior.

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  d.  transf. and fig. Forming the basis or substratum. (Cf. SUBJECT a. 11, SUBJECTED 1 b.)

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a. 1677.  Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1686, II. v. 74. The advantage of chusing one sutable to the subjacent matter and occasion.

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1846.  Trench, Mirac., i. (1862), 118. The Lord … might have created, with no subjacent material, the wine with which He cheered these guests.

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1880.  Academy, 14 Aug., 118/2. Anyone who will carefully compare the agreements and differences in Latin renderings, irrespective of the subjacent Greek text.

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  2.  Lying or situated at a lower level, at or near the base (e.g., of a mountain).

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1650.  Earl Monm., trans. Senault’s Man bec. Guilty, 305. They built Citadels on the tops of mountains, to discover the subjacent Countreys.

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a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 4 Oct. 1641. Perceiving all the subjacent country, at so small a horizontal distance, to repercuss such a light as I could hardly look against.

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1760.  Derrick, Lett. (1767), I. 79. The rivers that water the subjacent plains.

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1774.  Pennant, Tour Scotl. in 1772, 327. Over the subjacent vales and lochs.

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1837.  Lockhart, Scott (1839), X. 84. Before the subjacent and surrounding lake and morass were drained.

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1889.  Stevenson, Edinburgh, 22. The smoke of the Old Town blowing abroad over the subjacent country.

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  3.  Taking place underneath or below. rare.

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1862.  Wraxall, trans. Hugo’s Les Miserables, IV. I. v. II. 293. The sign of a vast subjacent conflagration.

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1898.  P. Manson, Trop. Diseases, xviii. 296. The superjacent mucous membrane sloughing or disintegrating in consequence of the subjacent destruction of its nutrient vessels.

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  Hence Subjacently adv., in a subjacent manner.

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1882.  G. Macdonald, Castle Warlock, x. A new era in his life…, the thought of which had been subjacently present in his dreams.

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