Etymology 1

Noun

1. A submarine.
2. A submarine sandwich—a sandwich made on a long bun.

   We can get subs at that deli.

3. A substitute.

   With the score 4 to 1, they brought in subs.

   She worked as a sub until she got her teaching certificate.

4. A substitute in a football (soccer) game: someone who comes on in place of another player part way through the game.
5. Short for subscription: a payment made for membership of a club, etc.
6. A submissive in BDSM practices.
   • 2004, Paul Baker, Fantabulosa: A Dictionary of Polari and Gay Slang‎

     ...roleplay where a sub or bottom takes care of a top's bodily and hygiene needs...

   • 2007, Laurell K Hamilton, The Harlequin

     "It means that I'm both a sub and a dom." "Submissive and dominant," I said. He nodded.

   • 2008, Lannie Rose, How to Change Your Sex

     Typically a dom and a sub have a more or less standard routine that they like to go through all the time.

1. To substitute for.
2. To work as a substitute teacher, especially in primary and secondary education.
3. To replace (a player) with a substitute.

   He never really made a contribution to the match, so it was no surprise when he was subbed at half time.

4. Less commonly, and often as sub on, to bring on (a player) as a substitute.

   He was subbed on half way through the second half, and scored within minutes.

5. To perform the work of a subeditor or copy editor; to subedit.