Obs. Also 4–5 so-, sou-, sutille, -ele, -ile. [a. OF. soutill(i)er = It. sottigliare:—med.L. subtīliāre, f. subtīlis SUBTLE a.]
1. refl. and intr. To devise subtleties or subtle distinctions, to argue subtly.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, ii. 2. When þa þat sould gif þaim hally til godis luf … sutils þaim in swilk thynge þat draghs þaim fra thoght of heuen in till werldis besynes.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 139. Hit [sc. Theology] is no science forsoþe to sotilen þer-Inne.
2. intr. To scheme, plan craftily. Also with clause.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 379. Þe fend sutilliþ evere aȝens holy chirche.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 336. Ich sotelide how ich myghte Lette hem þat louede hym nat lest þei wolde hym martrye.
3. trans. To devise cleverly.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 214. Alle þise science I my-self sotiled and ordeyned. Ibid., XIX. 454. Eche man sotileth a sleight synne forto hyde.
4. To attenuate, reduce.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 229. Þou must sotile his dietyng, & he schal not ete to miche.
5. ? To pulverize, reduce to ashes. nonce-use.
1624. Fletcher, Rule a Wife, IV. i. A fire subtle ye, are ye so crafty?
Hence † Subtling vbl. sb. (in 5 sotelinge, sutiling), = SUBTILIZATION.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. xi. (Bodl. MS.). White coloure is igendred for þynnynge & sotelinge of parties of þe mater.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. ix. 195. Of al such craft and sutiling ouȝten alle Cristen men be waar, that thei therbi be not bigilid.
