Subtilise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make something more delicate or refined in character or detail ; to escape, evade, or avoid by the use of cleverness or subtlety
2. To increase the subtlety or finesse of something ; to cleverly bypass or dodge a task or obligation through cunning
3. To render a thing finer or more precise in nature ; to skillfully evade a situation by using subtle methods

Etymology: "Subtilise" is the British spelling of "subtilize," and it arrived in English by way of French. The French verb "subtiliser" carried the sense of making something finer, lighter or more delicate, and English borrowed that refinement sense along with the word. Its root is the adjective "subtle," which came into English from Old French "sotil" and ultimately from Latin "subtilis," literally "finely woven," a picture drawn from fabric. The "-ise" ending, from Greek-derived "-izein," turns the adjective into a verb meaning to make something have that quality. The original image of fine weaving explains the core sense. To subtilise something is to thin it out or sharpen it until it is delicate, much as a fine thread is spun thinner than a coarse one. The word therefore describes a process of making a thing more exact and less crude rather than simply making it smaller.

Synonyms: refine, elaborate, clarify, distinguish, enhance

Antonyms: simplify, dumb down, reduce, generalize, overlook