Definition of "subsidence" [sub•sid•ence]

• The process of becoming less active or severe (noun)
• A sinking of something to a lower level, especially of part of the surface of the Earth due to underground excavation or seismic activity (noun)

Wiktionary.org : Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• "And, of course, at the very mention of the word subsidence, the assessor is likely to bring out his measuring tape and head for the nearest tree."
• "While subsidence is certainly a piper that must ultimately, one day, be paid, we have to think about these things on appropriate timelines."
• "Of all the threats facing southeast Louisiana in the age of global warming, subsidence is the most daunting, because it is a problem without a solution."