All 12 Uses

subtle
in
Sons and Lovers
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These dreams came again later on, developed to a more subtle psychological stage.
Chpt 2.7 *

subtle = slightly noticeable or difficult to understand
Gertrude Coppard watched the young miner as he danced, a certain subtle exultation like glamour in his movement, and his face the flower of his body, ruddy, with tumbled black hair, and laughing alike whatever partner he bowed above.†
Chpt 1.1
Mrs. Morel's intimacy with her second son was more subtle and fine, perhaps not so passionate as with her eldest.†
Chpt 1.4
This atmosphere, where everything took a religious value, came with a subtle fascination to him.†
Chpt 2.7
So it was in this atmosphere of subtle intimacy, this meeting in their common feeling for something in Nature, that their love started.†
Chpt 2.7
The air was dim and coloured from the windows and thrilled with a subtle scent of lilies and narcissi.†
Chpt 2.7
What a subtle infamy upon her.†
Chpt 2.7
Like an infinitely subtle shame, it kept her always back.†
Chpt 2.9
With all the passion of her strong nature she hated Miriam for having in this subtle way undermined his joy.†
Chpt 2.10
The wind, moaning steadily, made the whole tree rock with a subtle, thrilling motion that stirred the blood.†
Chpt 2.11
The river slid by in a body, utterly silent and swift, intertwining among itself like some subtle, complex creature.†
Chpt 2.12
So she kneeled to Dawes, and it gave him a subtle pleasure.†
Chpt 2.14

Definitions:

(1) (subtle as in: a subtle poison)
working in an indirect or hidden way
(2) (subtle as in: a subtle shade of blue)
understated so as not to draw excess attention
(3) (subtle as in: a subtle difference or thinker)
not obvious, but noticeable with enough insight and knowledge

or:

able to notice or understand things that require insight and sensitivity
(4) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)