Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- v. To submit to an overpowering force or yield to an overwhelming desire; give up or give in. See Synonyms at yield.
- v. To die.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- To sink or give way under pressure or superior force; be defeated; yield; submit; hence, to die.
Wiktionary
- v. to yield to an overpowering force or overwhelming desire
- v. to give up, or give in
- v. to die
GNU Webster's 1913
- v. To yield; to submit; to give up unresistingly
WordNet 3.0
- v. be fatally overwhelmed
- v. consent reluctantly
Etymologies
- Middle English succomben, to bring down, from Old French succomber, from Latin succumbere, to lie under, yield : sub-, sub- + -cumbere, to lie down (as in accumbere, to lie down).
Examples
“The family agreed to undergo testing to aid the research and though the names of family members who will succumb is known in the laboratories the family agreed they didn't want to be told.”
“There are certain combats in which to be the one to succumb is to claim the honours; -- and that is what women will not learn.”
“Julian Bennett the latest to succumb, which isn't ideal as we only have shuffling or reserve options to cover him.”
“HOLMES: You're telling me that they kind of succumb to PR pressure?”
“Perhaps the use of the word "succumb" may be more appropriate in my case and sex workers 'as well.”
“Mugabe vowed he would not "succumb" to pressure to enter into dialogue with the MDC.”
“Nganunu told conference participants this week that if nothing was done to secure their personal safety and "psychological security", judges would "succumb" to the threats and fail to hand down proper sentences to defendants in accordance with the law.”
“On Monday evening, soon after their arrival here, President Asif Ali Zardari told the two US officials that Pakistan was "fighting for its survival" but would not "succumb" to the militants.”
“succumb" to pressure to enter into dialogue with them.”
“succumb" to the militants, President Asif Ali Zardari told top US officials here Tuesday.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘succumb’.
Kristianto2010 When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
Dec 21, 2010
sonofgroucho If you can't beat 'um, succumb! Oct 5, 2007