subtle

  • 21subtle — adj. (subtler, subtlest) 1 evasive or mysterious; hard to grasp (subtle charm; a subtle distinction). 2 (of scent, colour, etc.) faint, delicate, elusive (subtle perfume). 3 a capable of making fine distinctions; perceptive; acute (subtle… …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 22subtle — Subtile Sub tile, a. [L. subtilis. See {Subtile}.] 1. Thin; not dense or gross; rare; as, subtile air; subtile vapor; a subtile medium. [1913 Webster] 2. Delicately constituted or constructed; nice; fine; delicate; tenuous; finely woven. A sotil… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 23subtle — Subtile Sub tile, a. [L. subtilis. See {Subtile}.] 1. Thin; not dense or gross; rare; as, subtile air; subtile vapor; a subtile medium. [1913 Webster] 2. Delicately constituted or constructed; nice; fine; delicate; tenuous; finely woven. A sotil… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 24subtle — adjective 1) subtle colors Syn: understated, muted, subdued; delicate, faint, pale, soft, indistinct 2) subtle distinctions Syn: fine, fine drawn, nice, hair splitting …

    Thesaurus of popular words

  • 25subtle — /ˈsʌtl / (say sutl) adjective 1. thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid, scent, etc. 2. fine or delicate, often when likely to elude perception or understanding: subtle irony. 3. delicate or faint and mysterious: a subtle smile. 4. requiring… …

  • 26subtle — adj. VERBS ▪ be, seem ▪ become ADVERB ▪ extremely, fairly, very, etc …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 27subtle — adjective 1) subtle colours Syn: understated, muted, subdued, delicate, soft 2) subtle distinctions Syn: fine, nice 3) a subtle change Syn …

    Synonyms and antonyms dictionary

  • 28subtle — sub•tle [[t]ˈsʌt l[/t]] adj. tler, tlest 1) thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid or an odor 2) fine or delicate in meaning or intent; difficult to perceive or understand: subtle irony[/ex] 3) delicate or faint and mysterious: a subtle… …

    From formal English to slang

  • 29subtle — adjective /ˈsʌt(ə)l/ a) Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable. The difference is subtle, but you can hear it if you listen carefully. b) Cleverly contrived. Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle, bloody, treacherous …

    Wiktionary

  • 30subtle — [ sʌt(ə)l] adjective (subtler, subtlest) 1》 so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe: a subtle distinction.     ↘capable of making fine distinctions.     ↘delicately complex and understated: subtle lighting. 2》 making use… …

    English new terms dictionary