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subtly

adverb

  1. without being noticeable
L14494 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈsʌt.li/ / /ˈsʌ.tl̩.li/ / /ˈsʌt.l̩.li/

adv

Etymology: From Middle English sotilly; equivalent to subtle + -ly.

  1. With subtleness, in a subtle manner; with cleverness rather than brute force.

    “Nexte cometh Arrius by ſoo muche the more wretched and madde in opynyon, by howe muche he dothe more ſubtely and craftily geue unto Chriſt the body of a man, and taketh from hym the ſowle of a man, […]”

    “For though Contraria iuxta ſe poſita magis illuceſcunt [opposites placed next to each other shine more brightly] (by an olde Rule) yet it hath beene ſubtilly, and indeede truely noted that our Sight, is not vvell contented, vvith thoſe ſudden departments, from one extreame to another; Therefore let them haue, rather a Duskiſh Tincture, then an abſolute blacke.”