Guile vs Facile - What's the difference?
guile | facile |
(uncountable) Astuteness often marked by a certain sense of cunning or artful deception.
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=April 24
, author=Phil Dawkes
, title=Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea
, work=BBC Sport
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=November 11
, author=Rory Houston
, title=Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland
, work=RTE Sport
Deceptiveness, deceit, fraud, duplicity, dishonesty.
* 'The Bible - King James Version: John 1:47
to deceive, to beguile
Easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy.
* , vol.I, New York, 2001, p.243:
Effortless, fluent (of work, abilities etc.).
* 1932 , (Duff Cooper), Talleyrand , Folio Society 2010, p. 54:
* 1974 , (Graham Greene), (The Honorary Consul) , Pocket Books, New York, p.54:
* 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 372:
Lazy, simplistic (especially of explanations, discussions etc.).
* 2012 , (Chris Huhne), The Guardian , 3 May 2012:
(chemistry) Of a reaction or other process, taking place readily.
As a noun guile
is (uncountable) astuteness often marked by a certain sense of cunning or artful deception.As a verb guile
is to deceive, to beguile.As an adjective facile is
easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy.guile
English
Noun
citation, page= , passage=It was a result that owed a lot to a moment of guile from Ramires but more to a display of guts from the Brazilian and his team-mates after Terry's needless dismissal eight minutes before half-time for driving a knee into the back of Alexis Sanchez off the ball.}}
citation, page= , passage=Estonia were struggling to get to grips with the game while Ireland were showing a composure and guile that demonstrated their experience in play-off ties.}}
- Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile !
Verb
(guil)Derived terms
* beguile * guileful * guilelessReferences
facile
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- as he that is benumbed with cold sits shaking, that might relieve himself with a little exercise or stirring, do they complain, but will not use the facile and ready means to do themselves good […].
- His facile disposition made him many friends.
- we can learn the impression that he made upon a stranger and a foreigner at this period, thanks to the facile pen of Fannu Burney.
- "Discipline," Jorge Julio Saavedra was repeating, "is more necessary to me than to other more facile writers.
- A facile and persuasive writer, he also turned out countless newspaper articles on Russian aims in Central Asia and how best these could be thwarted.
- There is a facile view that our green commitments – to tackling climate change, avoiding air and water pollution, protecting natural habitats – are an obstacle to growth. The message of the commodity markets is surely different.
- Decarboxylation of beta-keto acids is facile ...