subvert

From Middle English subverten, from Old French subvertir, from Latin subvertō (“to overthrow”, literally “to underturn, turn from beneath”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /səbˈvɜːt/
• (US) enPR: səbvûrtʹ, IPA^(key): /səbˈvɝt/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)t

subvert (third-person singular simple present subverts, present participle subverting, simple past and past participle subverted)

1. (transitive) To overturn from the foundation; to overthrow; to ruin utterly.
   • Shakespeare

     He […] razeth your cities, and subverts your towns.

   • John Locke

     This would subvert the principles of all knowledge.

2. (transitive) To pervert, as the mind, and turn it from the truth; to corrupt; to confound.

   A dictator stays in power only as long as he manages to subvert the will of his people.

3. (transitive) To upturn convention from the foundation by undermining it (literally, to turn from beneath).

• subversion
• subversive

Back-formation from subvertising, by analogy with advert.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbvɜːt/
• (US) enPR: sŭbʹvûrt, IPA^(key): /ˈsʌbvɝt/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)t

subvert (plural subverts)

1. An advertisement created by subvertising.

• subvertisement