Obs. Also 6 suptyle. [ad. med.L. subtīliāre (whence OF. soutillier, subtilier, It. sottigliare): see SUBTILIATE v.]

1

  1.  trans. To make subtile or thin; to rarefy.

2

1471.  Ripley, Comp. Alch., I. vii. in Ashm. (1652), 130. Lat the Body be sotelly fylyd With Mercury, as much then so subtylyd.

3

1495.  Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XIX. xi. 871. Whyte colour is gendrid for thynnynge and subtyllynge of partyes of the matere.

4

1528.  Paynell, Salerne’s Regim., Y j b. Heatynge, subtilynge & dissoluynge hit [sc. phlegm].

5

c. 1530.  Judic. Urines, II. viii. 33 b. Whan kynd hete hath more suptyld & maystred ye mater than appereth.

6

c. 1550.  Lloyd, Treas. Health, I viij. By subtyllynge the humore.

7

1605.  Timme, Quersit., III. 189. All the humours of our body are made thinne and subtiled.

8

  2.  To imagine craftily.

9

1537.  Instit. Chr. Man, A 3. Charmes, wytche-craftes, or any other false artes subtiled and inuented by the dyuell.

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