oversubtleadj.

Brit.

/ˌəʊvəˈsʌtl/, U.S.

/ˌoʊvərˈsəd(ə)l/

Forms:

α. late Middle English ouer subtyl, late Middle English over subtyll, late Middle English–1500s ouer subtyll, 1500s ouer subtile, 1500s–1600s ouer subtill, 1600s ouer-subtile, 1600s over-subtil, 1600s over subtil, 1600s over-subtill, 1600s–1800s over subtile, 1600s–1800s over-subtile.

β. 1600s– oversubtle, 1600s– over-subtle, 1600s– over subtle, 1700s o'er subtle.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: over- prefix, subtile adj., subtle adj.

Etymology: In α. forms < over- prefix + subtile adj. In β. forms < over- prefix + subtle adj.

Excessively subtle; overly ingenious or intricate.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > misleading argument, sophistry > excessive subtlety, hair-splitting > [adjective]

oversubtle1490

curious1585

metaphysical1646

metaphysic1663

subtle1668

subtilizing1683

hair-splitting1820

straw-splitting1828

pilpulistic1878

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) vii. 171 He weneth well hymselfe to be over subtyll.

1649 W. Davenant Love & Honour 35 The over-subtle few, who raise Themselves a triviall fame by a dispraise.

1728 T. Cooke tr. Hesiod Wks. & Days i, in tr. Hesiod Wks. I. 77 Son of Iapetus, o'er subtle, go, And glory in thy artful Theft below.

1822 P. B. Shelley Hellas Notes 57 The manner of the invocation of the spirit of Mahomet the Second will be censured as over subtle.

1870 J. R. Lowell Among my Bks. (1873) 1st Ser. 205 If they have been sometimes over-subtile, they..had the merit of first looking at his works as wholes.

1893 Atlantic Monthly Nov. 697/1 It seems sometimes as if she had cautioned herself against being oversubtle, as if she were aware that brilliancy of tone was rather wearisome to the reader.

1911 W. W. Lawrence Medieval Story iv. 110 If chivalry did tend to become oversubtle and extravagant, it exercised a refining influence upon character which was sorely needed.

1959 J. Kirkup tr. S. de Beauvoir Mem. Dutiful Duaghter ii. 198 My father, having cast a rapid eye over my favorite authors, pronounced them to be pretentious, oversubtle, queer, decadent, and immoral.

2000 Utopian Stud. (Nexis) 1 Jan. 181 In More's evaluation, the Utopians remain healthily commonsensical and unseduced by oversubtle distinctions and vast abstractions.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	oversubtle
释义	oversubtleadj. Brit. /ˌəʊvəˈsʌtl/, U.S. /ˌoʊvərˈsəd(ə)l/ Forms: α. late Middle English ouer subtyl, late Middle English over subtyll, late Middle English–1500s ouer subtyll, 1500s ouer subtile, 1500s–1600s ouer subtill, 1600s ouer-subtile, 1600s over-subtil, 1600s over subtil, 1600s over-subtill, 1600s–1800s over subtile, 1600s–1800s over-subtile. β. 1600s– oversubtle, 1600s– over-subtle, 1600s– over subtle, 1700s o'er subtle. Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: over- prefix, subtile adj., subtle adj. Etymology: In α. forms < over- prefix + subtile adj. In β. forms < over- prefix + subtle adj. Excessively subtle; overly ingenious or intricate. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > misleading argument, sophistry > excessive subtlety, hair-splitting > [adjective] oversubtle1490 curious1585 metaphysical1646 metaphysic1663 subtle1668 subtilizing1683 hair-splitting1820 straw-splitting1828 pilpulistic1878 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) vii. 171 He weneth well hymselfe to be over subtyll. 1649 W. Davenant Love & Honour 35 The over-subtle few, who raise Themselves a triviall fame by a dispraise. 1728 T. Cooke tr. Hesiod Wks. & Days i, in tr. Hesiod Wks. I. 77 Son of Iapetus, o'er subtle, go, And glory in thy artful Theft below. 1822 P. B. Shelley Hellas Notes 57 The manner of the invocation of the spirit of Mahomet the Second will be censured as over subtle. 1870 J. R. Lowell Among my Bks. (1873) 1st Ser. 205 If they have been sometimes over-subtile, they..had the merit of first looking at his works as wholes. 1893 Atlantic Monthly Nov. 697/1 It seems sometimes as if she had cautioned herself against being oversubtle, as if she were aware that brilliancy of tone was rather wearisome to the reader. 1911 W. W. Lawrence Medieval Story iv. 110 If chivalry did tend to become oversubtle and extravagant, it exercised a refining influence upon character which was sorely needed. 1959 J. Kirkup tr. S. de Beauvoir Mem. Dutiful Duaghter ii. 198 My father, having cast a rapid eye over my favorite authors, pronounced them to be pretentious, oversubtle, queer, decadent, and immoral. 2000 Utopian Stud. (Nexis) 1 Jan. 181 In More's evaluation, the Utopians remain healthily commonsensical and unseduced by oversubtle distinctions and vast abstractions. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1490
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