Part 932

Sub"ter*rane (?), n. [Cf. L. subterraneum, F. souterrain. See Subterranean.] A cave or room under ground. [R.] J. Bryant.

Sub`ter*ra"ne*al (?), a. Subterranean. [Obs.]

{ Sub`ter*ra"ne*an (?), Sub`ter*ra"ne*ous (?), } a. [L. subterraneus; sub under + terra earth. See Terrace.] Being or lying under the surface of the earth; situated within the earth, or under ground; as, subterranean springs; a subterraneous passage. -- Sub`ter*ra"ne*ous*ly, adv.

Sub`ter*ran"i*ty (?), n. A place under ground; a subterrany. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Sub"ter*ra*ny (?), a. Subterranean. [Obs.] Bacon. -- n. A subterranean place. [Obs.]

Sub`ter*rene" (?), a. [L. subterrenus, equiv. to subterraneus.] Subterraneous. [Obs.]

Sub`ter*res"tri*al (?), a. Subterranean.

Sub`tha*lam"ic (?), a. (Anat.) Situated under the optic thalamus.

Sub"tile (?), a. [L. subtilis. See Subtile.] 1. Thin; not dense or gross; rare; as, subtile air; subtile vapor; a subtile medium.

2. Delicately constituted or constructed; nice; fine; delicate; tenuous; finely woven. "A sotil [subtile] twine's thread." Chaucer.

More subtile web Arachne can not spin.

Spenser.

I do distinguish plain Each subtile line of her immortal face.

Sir J. Davies.

3. Acute; piercing; searching.

The slow disease and subtile pain.

Prior.

5. Characterized by nicety of discrimination; discerning; delicate; refined; subtle. [In this sense now commonly written subtle.]

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.

The subtile influence of an intellect like Emerson's.

Hawthorne.

5. Sly; artful; cunning; crafty; subtle; as, a subtile person; a subtile adversary; a subtile scheme. [In this sense now commonly written subtle.]

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.

-- Sub"tile*ly, adv. -- Sub"tile*ness, n.

Sub*til"i*ate (?), v. t. [LL. subtiliare.] To make thin or rare. [Obs.] Harvey. -- Sub`til*i*a"tion (#), n. [Obs.] Boyle.

Sub"til*ism (?), n. The quality or state of being subtile; subtility; subtlety.

The high orthodox subtilism of Duns Scotus.