Sub"tile (?), a. [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.
Sub"tile (?), a. [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.