[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/subtle.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/) / subtle

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/S/)

# subtle

«subtle» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **very small, delicate or hard to notice** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (subtle, subtler, subtlest)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Subtle means very small, delicate or hard to notice. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#m1)

2) Subtle means clever in a quiet, sly way, good at thinking of tricks. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the story of Eden, it describes the serpent as crafty and sly. In Samuel and Psalms it is said of Jonadab, a very clever and scheming man, and of God, who deals with the crooked in a way that outwits them. Interpretation: The rabbis noted a wordplay in Hebrew: the serpent is "arum" (clever) and the man and woman were "arumim" (naked). They saw the serpent's cleverness as a source of temptation. The saying that God shows Himself subtle to the crooked is read as meaning that He answers each person according to his ways. In the primary lessons: a clever animal or hero who tricks others; or a faint hint of a feeling or smell

### examples

- Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. (Torah GEN.3.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x1)
- With the pure Thou dost show myself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle. (Prophets 2SA.22.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x2)
- With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle. (Writings PSA.18.27, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x3)
- But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man. (Prophets 2SA.13.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x4)
- The hare was subtle and clever. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x5)
- There was a subtle smell of smoke. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x6)
- Her smile was so subtle that I almost missed it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/#x7)

### note

nothing for maths; a subtle hint does not change any count

### In the corpora

- [Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.60/)
- [With the pure Thou dost show myself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/2SA.686/)
- [With the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.237/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «subtle» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/subtle/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.