abstruse
Part of speech: adj
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: PIE word
 *h₂epó
Learned borrowing from Latin abstrūsus (“concealed, hidden; having been concealed”), an adjective use of the perfect passive participle of abstrūdō (“to conceal, hide; to push or thrust away”), from abs- (from ab- (prefix meaning ‘away; from; away from’)) + trūdō (“to push, shove; to thrust”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to push; to thrust”)).
Cognates
* Catalan abstrús
* German abstrus (“abstruse”)
* Italian astruso (“abstruse”)
* Middle French abstruse (modern French abstrus, abstruse (“(derogatory, literary) abstruse”)
* Portuguese abstruso (“abstruse”)
* Spanish abstruso (“abstruse”)
Inflected forms:
form: abstruser
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: more abstruse
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: abstrusest
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: most abstruse
pos: adj
tags: superlative
Senses:
gloss: Difficult to comprehend or understand; obscure.
pos: adj
tags: formal
examples: Some time the good makithe an ile end⸝ ãd the ile a godd. In this opiniõ⸝ and in ſcrutable miſterie be werithe all his wittes⸝ and at the end of his cogitacions⸝ fyndithe more abſtruſe⸝ and doutfull obiections thẽ at the beginning⸝ […]
Be leſs abſtruſe, my riddling days are paſt.
Thoſe propoſitions relating to the Moon's motion, which are demonſtrated in the Principia [by Isaac Newton], do generally depend on calculations very intricate and abſtruſe, the truth of which is not eaſily examined, even by thoſe that are moſt skilful; […]
The beſt VVay to learn any Science, is to begin vvith a regular Syſtem, or a ſhort and plain Scheme of that Science, vvell dravvn up into a narrovv Compaſs, omitting the deeper and more abſtruſe Parts of it, and that alſo under the Conduct and Inſtruction of ſome ſkilful Teacher.
'Tis certain, that the eaſy and obvious Philoſophy vvill always, vvith the Generality of Mankind, have the Preference to the accurate and abſtruſe; and by many vvill be recommended, not only as more agreeable, but more uſeful than the other.
The objects of geometrical enquiry are ſo intirely abſracted from thoſe purſuits vvhich ſtir up and put in motion the unruly paſſions of the human heart, that mankind vvithout difficulty adopt not only the more ſimple theorems of the ſcience, but even thoſe abſtruſe paradoxes, vvhich hovvever they may appear ſuſceptible of demonſtration, are at variance vvith the natural conceptions vvhich the mind, vvithout the aid of philoſophy, vvould be led to entertain upon the ſubject.
In a thousand ways he smoothed for me the path of knowledge, and made the most abstruse inquiries clear and facile to my apprehension.
A second rescript followed, commanding all bishops not merely to subscribe the dominant opinions on these profound and abstruse topics, but to condemn their authors, Pelagius and Cœlestius, as irreclaimable heretics, and this under pain of deprivation and banishment.
After the subject (victim, if you like) had read say thirty of the best solid novels of the twentieth century, I think I should draw him to the more abstruse modern novels and stories.
gloss: Concealed or hidden; secret.
pos: adj
tags: formal
obsolete
examples: O vvho is he that could carrie nevves to our olde father, that thou vvert but aliue, although thou vvert hidden in the moſt abſtruſe dungeons of Barbarie; for his riches, my brothers and mine vvould fetch thee from thence.
[T]he abſtruſeſt Things / VVhich in the Mindes dark Temper neſtling ly, / By you expoſed are to every Eye.
Mean while th’ Eternal eye, whoſe ſight diſcernes / Abſtruſeſt thoughts, from forth his holy Mount / And from within the golden Lamps that burne / Nightly before him, ſaw without their light / Rebellion riſing, ſaw in whom, how ſpred / Among the ſons of Morn, what multitudes / Were banded to oppoſe his high Decree; […]
Related words: abstrude
abstrused
abstrusion
abstrusive
abstrusively
retruse
Derived words: abstrusely
abstruseness
abstrusity
non-abstruse
Translations: