intricate

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in·tri·cate

(ĭn′trĭ-kĭt)

adj.

1. Having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate: an intricate pattern; an intricate procedure.

2. Difficult to understand, analyze, or solve for having many interconnected elements. See Synonyms at complex.

[Middle English, from Latin intrīcātus, past participle of intrīcāre, to entangle, perplex : in-, in; see in-² + trīcae, perplexities, wiles.]

in′tri·cate·ly adv.

in′tri·cate·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

intricate

(ˈɪntrɪkɪt)

adj

1. difficult to understand; obscure; complex; puzzling

2. entangled or involved: intricate patterns.

[C15: from Latin intrīcāre to entangle, perplex, from in-² + trīcae trifles, perplexities]

ˈintricacy, ˈintricateness n

ˈintricately adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•tri•cate

(ˈɪn trɪ kɪt)

adj.

1. having many interrelated parts or facets; entangled or involved.

2. hard to understand, work, or make; complex.

[1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin intrīcātus, past participle of intrīcāre to entangle =in- in-² + tricae perplexities]

in′tri•cate•ly, adv.

in′tri•cate•ness, n.

intricate

- From Latin in-, "into," and tricae, "tricks, perplexities."

intricate

adjective complicated, involved, complex, difficult, fancy, sophisticated, elaborate, obscure, tangled, baroque, perplexing, tortuous, Byzantine, convoluted, rococo, knotty, labyrinthine, daedal (literary) intricate patterns and motifs
simple, plain, straightforward, clear, easy, obvious

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

intricate

adjective

1. Complexly detailed:

complicated, elaborate, fancy.

2. Difficult to understand because of intricacy:

byzantine, complex, complicated, convoluted, daedal, Daedalian, elaborate, involute, involved, knotty, labyrinthine, tangled.

Translations

مُعَقَّد

složitý

indvikletkompliceret

flókinn

intricato complessit...

sudėtingai

komplicētssarežģīts

intricate

[ˈɪntrɪkɪt] ADJ [pattern, design, machinery] → intrincado; [plot, problem] → complejo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

intricate

[ˈɪntrɪkət] adj [pattern, work] → complexe, finement ouvragé(e)
intricate patterns and motifs → des motifs et dessins finement ouvragés

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

intricate

adj → kompliziert; (= involved also) → verwickelt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

intricate

[ˈɪntrɪkɪt] adj (plot, problem) → intricato/a, complicato/a; (pattern, machinery, mechanism) → complicato/a, complesso/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

intricate

(ˈintrikət) adjective

complicated. an intricate knitting pattern; intricate details.

ˈintricately adverb

ˈintricacy – plural ˈintricacies – noun

References in classic literature ?

THE Committee on Gerrymander worked late, drawing intricate lines on a map of the State, and being weary sought repose in a game of poker.

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All these particulars are faithfully narrated here, as they will not fail to elucidate several most important, however intricate passages, in scenes hereafter to be painted.

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It does not follow that a deep, intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours."

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It was gravely said by some of the prelates in the Council of Trent, where the doctrine of the Schoolmen bare great sway, that the Schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics and epicycles, and such engines of orbs, to save the phenomena; though they knew there were no such things; and in like manner, that the Schoolmen had framed a number of subtle and intricate axioms, and theorems, to save the practice of the church.

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The fearful coming of the engine could break up the most intricate muddle of heavy vehicles at which the police had been swearing for the half of an hour.

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Oliver lay awake for some time, counting the little circles of light which the reflection of the rushlight-shade threw upon the ceiling; or tracing with his languid eyes the intricate pattern of the paper on the wall.

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After proceeding some miles on the highway, the carriage turned off, and the coachman involved himself in an intricate network of cross-roads.

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So he went far, seek- ing dark and intricate places.

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They lie concealed in the intricate growth of houses with a few stalks of mastheads here and there overtopping the roof of some four-story warehouse.

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THE Columbia, or Oregon, for the distance of thirty or forty miles from its entrance into the sea, is, properly speaking, a mere estuary, indented by deep bays so as to vary from three to seven miles in width; and is rendered extremely intricate and dangerous by shoals reaching nearly from shore to shore, on which, at times, the winds and currents produce foaming and tumultuous breakers.

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Many were secret and intricate, but he never rested till he found out all the secrets.

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This man carved the walls of his prison house from floor to roof with all manner of figures of men and animals grouped in intricate designs.