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Abstruse vs Occult - What's the difference?

abstruse | occult | Related terms |

Abstruse is a related term of occult.


As adjectives the difference between abstruse and occult

is that abstruse is (obsolete) concealed or hidden out of the way; secret while occult is (lb) secret; hidden from general knowledge; undetected.

As a verb occult is

(astronomy) to cover or hide from view.

As a noun occult is

supernatural affairs.

abstruse

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (obsolete) Concealed or hidden out of the way; secret.
  • * 1612 , Thomas Shelton (translator), Miguel de Cervantes (Spanish author), The History of the Valorous and Wittie Knight-Errant Don-Quixote of the Mancha , Part 4, Chapter 15, page 500:
    • O who is he that could carrie newes to our olde father, that thou wert but aliue, although thou wert hidden in the most abstruse dungeons of Barbarie; for his riches, my brothers and mine would fetch thee from thence.
  • * 1667 , , Paradise Lost :
    • The eternal eye whose sight discerns abstrusest thoughts.
  • Difficult to comprehend or understand; recondite; obscure; esoteric.
  • * 1548 , Bishop John Hooper, A Declaration of the Ten Holy Comaundementes of Almygthye God , Chapter 17 Curiosity, Page 218:
    • ...at the end of his cogitacions, fyndithe more abstruse , and doutfull obiections then at the beginning...
  • * 1748 , David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 13.
    • It is certain that the easy and obvious philosophy will always, with the generality of mankind, have the preference above the accurate and abstruse ;
  • * 1855 , , History of Latin Christianity :
    • Profound and abstruse topics.

    Usage notes

    * More abstruse and most abstruse are the preferred forms over abstruser and abstrusest.

    Derived terms

    * abstrusely * abstruseness

    Related terms

    * abstrude * abstrusion

    References

    External links

    * * ----

    occult

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (astronomy) To cover or hide from view.
    • The earth occults the moon during a lunar eclipse.
  • (rare) To dissimulate, conceal, or obfuscate.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (lb) Secret; hidden from general knowledge; undetected
  • :
  • *(Isaac Taylor) (1787–1865)
  • *:It is of an occult kind, and is so insensible in its advances as to escape observation.
  • Related to the occult; pertaining to mysticism, magic, or astrology.
  • Esoteric.
  • *
  • *:Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ ("I never) understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."

    • Derived terms

    * occult line

    Noun

    (-)
  • Supernatural affairs.

    • Related terms

    * occultation