GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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1.       
   Subtile , a. [L. subtilis. See Subtile.]
   Thin; not dense or gross; rare; as, subtile air; subtile vapor; a subtile medium.
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   Delicately constituted or constructed; nice; fine; delicate; tenuous; finely woven. “A sotil [subtile] twine's thread.” 
   Chaucer.
   
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   More subtile web Arachne can not spin.
   Spenser.
   
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   I do distinguish plain
   Each subtile line of her immortal face.
   Sir J. Davies.
   
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   Acute; piercing; searching.
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   The slow disease and subtile pain.
   Prior.
   
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   Characterized by nicety of discrimination; discerning; delicate; refined; subtle. [In this sense now commonly written subtle.]
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   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.
   
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   The subtile influence of an intellect like Emerson's.
   Hawthorne.
   
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   Sly; artful; cunning; crafty; subtle; as, a subtile person; a subtile adversary; a subtile scheme. [In this sense now commonly written subtle.]
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   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.
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   -- Sub"tile*ly, adv. -- Sub"tile*ness, n.
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