subtle

subtle
sub|tle [ˈsʌtl] adj comparative subtler or more subtle superlative subtlest
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: soutil, from Latin subtilis 'finely woven, subtle', from tela 'something woven']
1.) not easy to notice or understand unless you pay careful attention
≠ ↑obvious
The pictures are similar, but there are subtle differences between them.
The warning signs of the disease are so subtle that they are often ignored.
a subtle form of racism
subtle taste/flavour/smell etc
The flavour of the dried berries is more subtle.
The dish had a subtle hint of ginger.
2.) behaving in a skilful and clever way, especially using indirect methods or language to hide what you are trying to do
I think we need a more subtle approach.
a subtle plan
subtle about
She wasn't very subtle about it. She just said she didn't love him any more.
3.) very clever in noticing and understanding things
→↑sensitive
a subtle mind
>subtly adv
a subtly different colour

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Subtle — Тип Менеджер окон Разработчик Christoph Kappel Написана на C Операционная система POSIX совместимые Последняя версия 0.9 Тестовая версия последняя ревизия Darcs …   Википедия

  • Subtle — Sub tle, a. [Compar. {Subtler}; superl. {Subtlest}.] [OE. sotil, subtil, OF. soutil, later subtil, F. subtil, L. subtilis; probably, originally, woven fine, and fr. sub under + tela a web, fr. texere to weave. See {Text}, and cf. {Subtile}.] 1.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • subtle — [sut′ l] adj. subtler [sut′lər, sut′ l ər] subtlest [ME sotil < OFr soutil < L subtilis, fine, thin, precise, orig., closely woven < sub (see SUB ) + tela, web < * texla < texere, to weave: see TECHNIC] 1. thin; rare; tenuous; not… …   English World dictionary

  • Subtle — est un groupe composé par Adam Drucker, Jeffrey Logan, Dax Pierson, Jordan Dalrymple, Alexander Kort, et Marty Dowers. Bien que Adam (alias Doseone) et Jeffrey (alias Jel) soient signés sur anticon., le groupe Subtle ne fait pas partie du… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Subtle — may refer to:*Subtle, a musical group consisting of members of the anticon. hip hop collective *Doctor Subtilis, John Duns Scotus *Subtle body, an idea in mysticism * The Subtle Knife , a novel by Philip Pullman and the second book in the trilogy …   Wikipedia

  • subtle — [adj1] nice, quiet, delicate attenuate, attenuated, deep, discriminating, ethereal, exquisite, faint, fine, finespun, hairline, hairsplitting, illusive, implied, inconspicuous, indirect, indistinct, inferred, ingenious, insinuated, mental,… …   New thesaurus

  • subtle — ► ADJECTIVE (subtler, subtlest) 1) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe. 2) capable of making fine distinctions. 3) delicately complex and understated: subtle lighting. 4) making use of clever and indirect methods to… …   English terms dictionary

  • subtle — I (insidious) adjective canny, contriving, crafty, cunning, deceitful, deceptive, designing, feline, guileful, illusive, implied, indistinct, inferred, insinuated, intriguing, serpentine, shifty, shrewd, sly, sophistical, stealthy, tricky,… …   Law dictionary

  • subtle — c.1300, sutel, soutil, in ref. to things, of thin consistency; in ref. to craftsmen, skilled, clever, from O.Fr. soutil, from L. subtilis fine, thin, delicate, finely woven, from sub under (see SUB (Cf. sub )) + tilis, from tela web and texere …   Etymology dictionary

  • subtle — *logical, analytical Analogous words: penetrating, piercing, probing (see ENTER): *deep, profound: abstruse, *recondite Antonyms: dense (in mind): blunt (in speech) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • subtle — has a corresponding adverb subtly, and the noun is subtlety (which is also countable with a plural form subtleties). The b is silent in all these forms …   Modern English usage

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