1 (delicate, fine) [+perfume, flavour] suave; sutil; [+colour] tenue; [+charm, beauty, nuance, reminder, person] sutil; [+humour, irony] sutil; fino the subtle fragrance of the violet la suave fragancia or la fragancia sutil de la violeta; a subtle hint of pink un ligero toque de rosa
the subtle beauty of the night sky the night sky has a subtle beauty of its own the subtle charm of the traditional English garden English food has subtle charms all of its own Age had worked subtle [changes] on his features The new director has introduced some subtle [changes] Subtle [differences] in store decor can affect how shoppers feel The [differences] in question here are very subtle There's a subtle [difference] between this photo and the one before it
there's a subtle difference between these two words hay una diferencia sutil entre estas dos palabras
there's a subtle distinction between a withdrawal and a retreat Women and Indians are allowed onto the council only as long as they don't spread themselves too widely or do the job too well. It's a very subtle form of racism, but it is there The government has been content with this subtle form of control Critics argue that this is just protectionism in another more subtle guise But there are other more subtle ways in which homes can affect school performance Little details missed, subtle nuances the capacity to convey subtle shades of meaning I'm sure that subtle [pressure] was applied to make them agree I wonder whether some subtle [flaw] in the study is the true explanation Many character traits rely on the subtle [interaction] of many genes The relationship between the ocean, atmosphere and biosphere is wonderfully complex, subtle and intermeshing This was a subtle [hint] not to expect too much of him Her remark could have been intended as a subtle rebuke There have been subtle suggestions to some of the competitors that it might be better if they didn't win That doesn't sound terribly subtle ... residents consider the low flights over the city a not-so-subtle reminder of the Serbs' superior military might The subtle [message] of the film is that marriage is not the ultimate prize All the male characters in the play spend a lot of time stroking their red or purple silk ties - a subtle reminder that they're always thinking about sex Our [approach] has to be more subtle I prefer a more subtle [approach] you can't just say I really want to have sex with you. You have to be more subtle he really isn't very subtle she sniffed to indicate that she was upset; she was never very subtle
she was never very subtle nunca fue muy sutil; it was a subtle form of racism era una forma sutil de racismo
She herself is much more subtle. She just leaves people she doesn't like off her invitation lists She is too subtle to say anything herself
2 (perceptive) [+person] perspicaz; agudo; [+mind] sutil; agudo; [+analysis] ingenioso She's a cool, subtle and astute politician His civilised and subtle [mind] made it not surprising that Henry James was one of his favourite authors His humour's not very subtle Maybe his humour's not very subtle but it transcends language and culture barriers This is a subtle, well-argued and elegantly constructed [analysis] of modern Western capitalis For such a combative man, his work is surprisingly subtle The book is subtle and readable, nicely mixing scientific and literary evidence
