facile
Pronunciation Adjective
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Pronunciation Adjective
facile
- Easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy. [from 15th c.]
- 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 54573970 ↗:, vol.I, New York, 2001, p.243:
- as he that is benumbed with cold sits shaking, that might relieve himself with a little exercise or stirring, do they complain, but will not use the facile and ready means to do themselves good […].
- (now rare) Amiable, flexible, easy to get along with. [from 16th c.]
- His facile disposition made him many friends.
- Effortless, fluent (of work, abilities etc.). [from 17th c.]
- 1932, Duff Cooper, Talleyrand, Folio Society 2010, p. 54:
- we can learn the impression that he made upon a stranger and a foreigner at this period, thanks to the facile pen of Fannu Burney.
- 1974, Graham Greene, The Honorary Consul, Pocket Books, New York, p.54:
- "Discipline," Jorge Julio Saavedra was repeating, "is more necessary to me than to other more facile writers.
- 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society 2010, p. 372:
- A facile and persuasive writer, he also turned out countless newspaper articles on Russian aims in Central Asia and how best these could be thwarted.
- 1932, Duff Cooper, Talleyrand, Folio Society 2010, p. 54:
- Lazy, simplistic (especially of explanations, discussions etc.). [from 19th c.]
- 2012, Chris Huhne, The Guardian, 3 May 2012:
- There is a facile view that our green commitments – to tackling climate change, avoiding air and water pollution, protecting natural habitats – are an obstacle to growth. The message of the commodity markets is surely different.
- 2012, Chris Huhne, The Guardian, 3 May 2012:
- (chemistry) Of a reaction or other process, taking place readily.
- Decarboxylation of beta-keto acids is facile...
- (skillful) See also Thesaurus:skillful
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003