Category:Subtile

Sub"tile, a. Etym: [l. subtilis. See subtile.]

1. Thin; not dense or gross; rare; as, subtile air; subtile vapor; a Subtile medium.

2. Delicately constituted or constructed; nice; fine; delicate; Tenuous; finely woven. "a sotil [subtile] twine's thread." Chaucer. More subtile web arachne can not spin. Spenser. I do distinguish plain each subtile line of her immortal face. Sir j. Davies.

3. Acute; piercing; searching. The slow disease and subtile pain. Prior.

5. Characterized by nicety of discrimination; discerning; delicate; Refined; subtle. [in this sense now commonly written subtle.] The genius of the spanish people is exquisitely subtile, without Being at all acute; hence there is so much humor and so little wit in Their literature. The genius of the italians, on the contrary, is Acute, profound, and sensual, but not subtile; hence what they think To be humorous, is merely witty. Coleridge. The subtile influence of an intellect like emerson's. Hawthorne.

5. Sly; artful; cunning; crafty; subtle; as, a subtile person; a Subtile adversary; a subtile scheme. [in this sense now commonly Written subtle.]

Syn. -- subtile, acute. In acute the image is that of a needle's point; In subtile that of a thread spun out to fineness. The acute intellect Pierces to its aim; the subtile (or subtle) intellect winds its way Through obstacles. -- sub"tile*ly, adv. -- sub"tile*ness, n.