Obs. Also 5 sutilyate. [f. med.L. subtīliāt-, pa. ppl. stem of subtīliāre, f. subtīlis SUBTLE a. see -ATE3.] trans. To make thin or tenuous; esp. to rarefy (a fluid); to sublime; to refine, purify.
14[?]. MS. Ashm. 1408 XI. 31. Whosoever knowethe to sutilyate [quicksilver].
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 169. He supposeth the body of Christe might be subtiliated, by his Diuine power, to passe through the doores.
1582. Hester, Secr. Phiorav., I. xxxviii. 45. Our Quintaessentia solutiua … subtiliateth the humors, and evacuateth them dounewards.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., 88. Sol so subtiliated by often reiteration of Aqua Regis vpon it, as that it becam almost an impalpable powder.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXII. ix. II. 443. The same being washed after the manner of lead, be singular for to subtiliat the thicke eye-lids. Ibid. (1603), Plutarch’s Mor., 1318. Being of this opinion, that the flame doth subtiliate and rarefie the aire.
1630. Lord, Banians, 54. Those spirits that are subtiliated by Stils and Lymbecks, the fire is effectuall to their subliming.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., ¶ 157. Subtiliated into a jubilee of spiritual Aporhæa’s or evaporations.
1655. T. Vaughan, Euphrates, 67. The earth thickens the water, and on the contrary the water subtiliates the earth.
1678. R. Russell, Geber, I. i. 4. Much more attenuated and subtiliated than it was before.
Hence † Subtiliated, † Subtiliating ppl. adjs.
1603. Harsnet, Pop. Impost., 159. To our subtiliated, sublimated new spirits of the Sorbon.
1650. Charleton, Paradoxes, Prol. 14. A streame of subtiliated Atomes.
1665. G. Harvey, Adv. agst. Plague, 6. A very dry and warm or subtiliating air.
