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abstruse

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 10 August 2022

Etymology

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PIE word
*h₂epó

Learned borrowing fromLatinabstrūsus(“concealed, hidden; having been concealed”), anadjective use of theperfect passive participle ofabstrūdō(“to conceal, hide; to push or thrust away”),^[1] fromabs- (fromab-(prefix meaning ‘away; from; away from’)) +trūdō(“to push, shove; to thrust”) (ultimately fromProto-Indo-European*trewd-(“to push; to thrust”)).

Cognates

Catalanabstrús
Germanabstrus(“abstruse”)
Italianastruso(“abstruse”)
Middle Frenchabstruse (modernFrenchabstrus,abstruse(“(derogatory, literary) abstruse”)
Portugueseabstruso(“abstruse”)
Spanishabstruso(“abstruse”)

Pronunciation

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(Received Pronunciation)IPA^(key): /əbˈstɹuːs/
- Audio(Southern England): (file)
(General American, Canada)IPA^(key): /əbˈstɹus/,/æb-/
(Scotland, Northern Ireland)IPA^(key): /əbˈstɹʉs/
Hyphenation:abs‧truse
Rhymes:-uːs

Adjective

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abstruse (comparativeabstruserormoreabstruse,superlativeabstrusestormostabstruse)(formal)

Difficult tocomprehend orunderstand;obscure.[from mid 16th c.]
Synonyms:abstrusive,arcane,cryptic,esoteric,recondite;see alsoThesaurus:incomprehensible
Antonyms:clear,obvious,understandable;see alsoThesaurus:comprehensible
- [1548], Joanne Hopper [i.e.,John Hooper], “Curiositie”, inA Declaration of the Ten Holy Cõmaundementes of Allmygthye God […],[Zurich]: [Christoph Froschauer],→OCLC,page CCXVIII:
  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 moreabſtruſe⸝ and doutfull obiections thẽ at the beginning⸝[…]
  Sometimes the good maketh an ill end, and the ill a good. In this opinion, and inscrutable mystery be weary all his wits, and at the end of his cogitations, findeth moreabstruse, and doubtfull objections than at the beginning, […]
- 1671,John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, inParadise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […],→OCLC,page65, line75:
  Be leſsabſtruſe, my riddling days are paſt.
- 1729,John Machin, “The Laws of the Moon’s Motion According to Gravity”, inIsaac Newton, translated by Andrew Motte,The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. […] , volume II, London: […] Benjamin Motte, […],→OCLC,page 4:
  Thoſe propoſitions relating to the Moon's motion, which are demonſtrated in thePrincipia [byIsaac Newton], do generally depend on calculations very intricate andabſtruſe, the truth of which is not eaſily examined, even by thoſe that are moſt skilful;[…]
- 1741,I[saac] Watts, “Of the Sciences, and Their Use in Particular Professions”, inThe Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […],→OCLC, paragraph I,page316:
  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 moreabſtruſe Parts of it, and that alſo under the Conduct and Inſtruction of ſome ſkilful Teacher.
- 1748, [David Hume], “Essay I. Of the Different Species of Philosophy.”, inPhilosophical Essays Concerning Human Understanding, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […],→OCLC,page 3:
  'Tis certain, that the eaſy and obvious Philoſophy vvill always, vvith the Generality of Mankind, have the Preference to the accurate andabſtruſe; and by many vvill be recommended, not only as more agreeable, but more uſeful than the other.
- 1788, Publius [pseudonym;Alexander Hamilton], “Number XXXI. The Same Subject Continued [Concerning Taxation].”, inThe Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, […] , volume I, New York, N.Y.: […] J. and A. M‘Lean, […],→OCLC,page191:
  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 thoſeabſtruſe 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.
- 1831 October 31,Mary W[ollstonecraft] Shelley, chapter IV, inFrankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus (Standard Novels; IX), 3rd edition, London:Henry Colburn andRichard Bentley, […],→OCLC,page36:
  In a thousand ways he smoothed for me the path of knowledge, and made the mostabstruse inquiries clear and facile to my apprehension.
- 1854,Henry Hart Milman, “Pelagianism”, inHistory of Latin Christianity; […], volume I, London:John Murray, […],→OCLC, book II,page127:
  A second rescript followed, commanding all bishops not merely to subscribe the dominant opinions on these profound andabstruse topics, but to condemn their authors,Pelagius andCœlestius, as irreclaimable heretics, and this under pain of deprivation and banishment.
(obsolete)Concealed orhidden;secret.[late 16th – mid 18th c.]
Synonyms:(obsolete)abstrused,clandestine,surreptitious;see alsoThesaurus:covert,Thesaurus:hidden
Antonyms:open,patent,unconcealed,unhidden
- 1612, [Miguel de Cervantes], “Which Speakes of that which after Befell in the Inne; and of Sundry Other Things Worthy to be Knowne”, inThomas Shelton, transl.,The History of the Valorous and Wittie Knight-errant Don-Quixote of the Mancha. […], London: […] William Stansby, forEd[ward] Blount and W. Barret,→OCLC, part 4,page500:
  O vvho is he that could carrie nevves to our olde father, that thou vvert but aliue, although thou vvert hidden in the moſtabſtruſe dungeons of Barbarie; for his riches, my brothers and mine vvould fetch thee from thence.
- 1648,Joseph Beaumont, “Canto XVII. The Mortification. Stanza 182.”, inPsyche: Or Loves Mysterie, […], London: […] John Dawson for George Boddington, […],→OCLC,page328, column 2:
  [T]heabſtruſeſt Things / VVhich in the Mindes dark Temper neſtling ly, / By you expoſed are to every Eye.
- 1667,John Milton, “Book V”, inParadise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […];[a]nd by Robert Boulter […];[a]nd Matthias Walker, […],→OCLC; republished asParadise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […],1873,→OCLC, lines709–714:
  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;[…]

Usage notes

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More abstruse andmost abstruse are the preferred forms overabstruser andabstrusest. Do not confuseabstruse (hard to understand) withobtuse (failing to understand).