Subtle vs Direct - What's the difference?
subtle | direct |
Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.
(of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
(of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
insidious
* 1623 , , act iv, scene 4,
Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.
Straight, constant, without interruption.
Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end.
Straightforward; sincere.
* Shakespeare
Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
* John Locke
* Hallam
In the line of descent; not collateral.
(astronomy) In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; said of the motion of a celestial body.
Directly.
* 2009 , Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall , Fourth Estate 2010, p. 346:
To manage, control, steer.
To aim (something) at (something else).
To point out or show to (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way.
* Lubbock
To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order.
* Shakespeare
(dated) To put a direction or address upon; to mark with the name and residence of the person to whom anything is sent.
As adjectives the difference between subtle and direct
is that subtle is hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable while direct is straight, constant, without interruption.As an adverb direct is
directly.As a verb direct is
to manage, control, steer.subtle
English
Alternative forms
* subtil (obsolete) * subtile (obsolete)Adjective
(er)- The difference is subtle , but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
- Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle , bloody, treacherous.
Synonyms
* crafty, cunning, skillful * (insidious) insidiousAntonyms
* (hard to grasp) simpleDerived terms
* subtle body * subtleness * subtlety * subtlyReferences
* * *Anagrams
* * * *direct
English
Adjective
(er)- the most direct route between two buildings
- Be even and direct with me.
- He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words.
- a direct and avowed interference with elections
- a descendant in the direct line
Antonyms
* indirectDerived terms
* direct action * direct current * direct flight * direct initiative * direct object * direct quoteAdverb
(en adverb)- Presumably Mary is to carry messages that she, Anne, is too delicate to convey direct .
Verb
(en verb)- to direct the affairs of a nation or the movements of an army
- They directed their fire towards the men on the wall.
- He directed his question to the room in general.
- He directed me to the left-hand road.
- the next points to which I will direct your attention
- She directed them to leave immediately.
- I'll first direct my men what they shall do.
- to direct a letter
