[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/subtle/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [S](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/s/) / subtle

# subtle

adjective (subtle, subtler, subtlest)

«subtle» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Subtle means very small, delicate or hard to notice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subtle/#m1)
2. Subtle means clever in a quiet, sly way, good at thinking of tricks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subtle/#m2)

### In the lessons

a clever animal or hero who tricks others; or a faint hint of a feeling or smell

### Examples

- The hare was subtle and clever. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subtle/#x1)
- There was a subtle smell of smoke. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subtle/#x2)
- Her smile was so subtle that I almost missed it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subtle/#x3)

### Note

nothing for maths; a subtle hint does not change any count

## In Jewish tradition

In the story of Eden, it describes the serpent as crafty and sly. In Samuel and Psalms it is said of Jonadab, a very clever and scheming man, and of God, who deals with the crooked in a way that outwits them.

**Interpretation.** The rabbis noted a wordplay in Hebrew: the serpent is "arum" (clever) and the man and woman were "arumim" (naked). They saw the serpent's cleverness as a source of temptation. The saying that God shows Himself subtle to the crooked is read as meaning that He answers each person according to his ways.

### Examples

- Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. (Torah GEN.3.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x1)
- With the pure Thou dost show myself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle. (Prophets 2SA.22.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x2)
- With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle. (Writings PSA.18.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x3)
- But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man. (Prophets 2SA.13.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x4)

### Note

nothing for maths; a subtle hint does not change any count

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

Clever in a sly, tricky way, able to fool others without them noticing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/S/subtle/#m1)

### Then and now

Today "subtle" means small, delicate or hard to notice. The first sentence uses the old sense of sly cleverness; the second and third use today's sense.

### Examples

- Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. (Torah GEN.3.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/S/subtle/#x1)
- The subtle characterisation of the various occupations reaches a high level of artistic merit. (More English Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/S/subtle/#x2)
- Was it not rather that he should not henceforth see Burd Janet?--a subtle touch of jealousy. (More English Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/S/subtle/#x3)

### Note

Today: crafty.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «subtle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/subtle/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«subtle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/subtle.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «subtle» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«subtle» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/subtle.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «subtle» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/S/subtle/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«subtle» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/subtle.html) on Mova free.