Subtlety vs Shade - What's the difference?
subtlety | shade |
(uncountable) The quality or fact of being subtle.
(countable) An instance of being subtle, a subtle thing, especially a subtle argument or distinction.
(countable) An ornate medieval illusion dish or table decoration, especially when made from one thing but crafted to look like another.
(label) Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8
, passage=Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet:
(label) Something that blocks light, particularly in a window.
(label) A variety of a colour/color, in particular one obtained by adding black (compare tint).
* (John Locke) (1632-1705)
(label) A subtle variation in a concept.
* (Thomas De Quincey) (1785-1859)
* (1800-1859)
(label) An aspect that is reminiscent of something.
* Agatha Christie, Miss Marple Tells a Story
A ghost.
* (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
(label) A creature that is partially human and partially angel.
(label) A postage stamp showing an obvious difference in colour/color to the original printing and needing a separate catalogue/catalog entry.
Subtle insults.
To shield from light.
To alter slightly.
To vary slightly, particularly in color.
(intransitive, baseball, of a defensive player) To move slightly from one's normal fielding position.
To darken, particularly in drawing.
(obsolete) To shelter; to cover from injury; to protect; to screen.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) To present a shadow or image of; to shadow forth; to represent.
* Spenser
As nouns the difference between subtlety and shade
is that subtlety is (uncountable) the quality or fact of being subtle while shade is (label) darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.As a verb shade is
to shield from light.subtlety
English
(wikipedia subtlety)Noun
- With all his usual subtlety , he quietly fixed the problem before anyone else noticed it.
- The subtleties of this overture are often overlooked.
- At the king's coronation feast, several subtleties were served between main courses.
shade
English
(wikipedia shade)Etymology 1
From (etyl) sceadu.Noun
- Thus light and colours, as white, red, yellow, blue, with their several degrees or shades , and mixtures, as green, scarlet, purple, sea-green, and the rest, come in only by the eyes
- new shades and combinations of thought
- Every shade of religious and political opinion has its own headquarters.
- Mrs. Rhodes who (so I gathered from Mr. Petherick's careful language) was perhaps just a shade of a hypochondriac, had retired to bed immediately after dinner.
- Swift as thought the flitting shade / Thro' air his momentary journey made.
Etymology 2
From (etyl) sceadwian.Verb
(shad)- The old oak tree shaded the lawn in the heat of the day.
- You'll need to shade your shot slightly to the left.
- Most politicians will shade the truth if it helps them.
- The hillside was bright green, shading towards gold in the drier areas.
- Jones will shade a little to the right on this pitch count.
- I draw contours first, gradually shading in midtones and shadows.
- Ere in our own house I do shade my head.
- [The goddess] in her person cunningly did shade / That part of Justice which is Equity.