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.

 

© Webster 1913.

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