subjunctive 

The subjunctive mood is the verb form contrasted with the indicative and imperative moods. It occurs somewhat oddly in English because in many persons and tenses, the same form is used for indicative and subjunctive verbs. It is used primarily to express events that are contrary to fact or, if set in the future tense, uncertain. This is why one says "If I were..." instead of "If I was..." though the latter is not always incorrect. The conditional word "if" often introduces a contrary to fact or uncertain condition, but it can also express a certain condition (usually when it could be replaced with "when") thus: "If it were raining, I would be happy" versus "If it was raining, I was happy." The verbs of the first are in the present tense and subjunctive mood, the second in the past tense and indicative mood. The first expresses the idea that if it were raining (but it's not), I would be happy (but I am not happy). The second expresses the idea that whever in the past it was raining, I was happy. Subjunctives are also used to express hortitory and jussive ideas such as "God save the queen." Using the subjuctive, one says "It is imperative that he read this" rather than "It is imperative that he reads this," but it is never used with the "that" of indirect statement. The subjunctive mood is rarely used or correctly formed in conversational English (and many popular works of literature).

Incorrect: If I was rich, I would not live in a box.
Correct: If I were rich, I would not live in a box.

subjunctive by Andrew Paczkowski December 19, 2004

subjunctive verb form 

Things to remember when using the subjunctive verb form:
1) Channel Beyonce ("If I WERE a boy"), not Justin Bieber ("If I WAS your boyfriend").
2) Use the singular verb form - listens becomes listen, walks becomes walk.
3) Think about the context. The subjunctive verb form is either used in formal writing/discussions, or in expressing hopes or dreams.

The subjunctive verb form could be used like this:
If you were to listen, you might learn something.
I recommend that you study.

subjunctive verb form by _Rhubarb_ March 22, 2017

Imperfect Subjunctive 

The most miseworthy verb form in any language!!!!

Rarely used, and sometimes looks odd, but distinctive enough to be classy!

English - "Although I were hungry, I would not have eaten the badger."
French - "Quoique j'eusse faim, je n'aurais pas mangé le blaireau."
Italian - "Benché avessi fame, non andrai mangiato il tasso."
Latin - "Quamquam faminam haberem, non meles consumpsissem."

Imperfect Subjunctive by KHD May 16, 2004

subjective 

Making a decision depending on personal taste or experience rather including other people in the decision making process.

musical taste is very subjective.

A personal opinion is subjective.

subjective by Rachel Austin December 28, 2005

subjective guess who 

A game played with the traditional board game "guess who" but with slightly different rules. The only difference is that all questions must be subjective in nature. There should be no way to be 100% sure if you are elimating the correct people or not. No one ever really wins, but it is really fun.

Sample questions:
"Is, or has your person ever been, a librarian?"
"Is your person racist?"
"Is your person a member of a wine-of-the-month club?"
"Does your person own multiple cats?"

Examples of questions not allowed in subjective guess who:
"Does your person have a mustache?"
"Does your person have long hair?"

subjective guess who by adamfromurbana July 1, 2006

subjectively meaningless 

something that is objectively meaningless according to the person telling you this phrase but meaningful (and relevant) to everyone else you know (the 'everyone you know' includes most people in your generation/age range/social category)

boy 1) my mother says that smoking Mary Jane is meaningless

boy 2) just ignore your old lady. her opinion is subjectively meaningless but meaningful to idiotager or idiotagers in our class.

subjectively meaningless by Uncle Dimma January 11, 2013

Subjunctivitus

A disease in which French students conjugate so many verbs in the subjunctive tense, they forget how to simply use verbs in the present indicative. (Often results in lower test scores, poor french speaking skills, and constant criticism by native speakers, etc.)

Student 1: Je le vois.

Student 2: No, you dummy. Learn to speak French, it's actually je voie.

Student 1: Not in the indicatif, mon ami.

Student 2: Ouch! i have subjunctivitus again!

Subjunctivitus by NWA787Pilot October 21, 2009

pod person 

A person pretending to be something they aren't, or an impostor. This is inferred because of the old alien movies where alien pods appear on earth and the "pod people" dispose of the humans and slowly reproduce the bodies, pretending to be humans.

The pod person was pretending to be my father, but I knew that he was an alien when he acted differently than my father ever would have.

pod person by Christopher M. May 9, 2005