King James Bible Dictionary

SUB'TIL, adjective [Latin subtilis. This word is often written subtle, but less properly.]

1. Thin; not dense or gross; as subtil air; subtil vapor; a subtil medium.

2. Nice; fine; delicate.

I do distinguish plain

Each subtil line of her immortal face.

3. Acute; piercing; as subtil pain.

4. Sly; artful; cunning; crafty; insinuating; as a subtil person; a subtil adversary.

5. Planned by art; deceitful; as a subtil scheme.

6. Deceitful; treacherous.

7. Refined; fine; acute; as a subtil argument.

SUBTIL'IATE, verb transitive To make thin. [Not in use.]

SUBTILIA'TION, noun The act of making thin or rare. [Not in use.]

SUBTIL'ITY, noun Fineness.

SUBTILIZA'TION, noun [from subtilize.]

1. The act of making subtil, fine or thin. In the laboratory, the operation of making so volatile as to rise in steam or vapor.

2. Refinement; extreme acuteness.

SUB'TILIZE, verb transitive [Latin subtilis.]

1. To make thin or fine; to make less gross or coarse.

2. To refine; to spin into niceties; as, to subtilize arguments.

SUB'TILIZE, verb intransitive To refine in argument; to make very nice distinctions.

In whatever manner the papist might subtilize--

SUB'TILLY, adverb Thinly; not densely.

1. Finely; not grossly or thickly.

The opakest bodies, if subtilly divided--become perfectly transparent.

2. Artfully; cunningly; craftily; as a scheme subtilly contrived.

SUB'TILNESS, noun Thinness; rareness; as the subtilness of air.

1. Fineness; acuteness; as the subtilness of an argument.

2. Cunning; artfulness; as the subtilness of a foe.

SUB'TILTY, noun [Latin subtilitas.]

1. Thinness; fineness; exility; in a physical sense; as the subtilty of air or light; the subtilty of sounds.

2. Refinement; extreme acuteness.

Intelligible discourses are spoiled by too much subtilty in nice divisions.

3. Slyness in design; cunning; artifice; usually but less properly written subtlety.