Dictionary
sub•si•dy
Pronunciation: (sub'si-dē), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -dies.
1. a direct pecuniary aid furnished by a government to a private industrial undertaking, a charity organization, or the like.
2. a sum paid, often in accordance with a treaty, by one government to another to secure some service in return.
3. a grant or contribution of money.
4. money formerly granted by the English Parliament to the crown for special needs.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.