intricate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (Southern England):

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Adjective

intricate (comparative more intricate, superlative most intricate)

1. Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.

   The architecture of this clock is very intricate.

   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter V, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

     As a matter of fact its narrow ornate façade presented not a single quiet space that the eyes might rest on after a tiring attempt to follow and codify the arabesques, foliations, and intricate vermiculations of what some disrespectfully dubbed as “near-aissance.”

   • 1950 March, H. A. Vallance, “On Foot Across the Forth Bridge”, in Railway Magazine, page 149:

     From this point of vantage, we were able to gain an impression of the massive outlines of the main structure, and its intricate maze of girders.

2. (archaic) Difficult to disentangle, puzzle apart, or resolve; enigmatic, obscure.
   • 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 2:

     The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate,
     Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors;
     Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain,
     Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search;
     Nor ſees with how much Art the Windings run,
     Nor where the regular Confuſion ends.

   • 1715 May 15 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 39. Wednesday, May 4. [1715.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC:

     His style of writing […] was […] fit to convey the most intricate business to the understanding […] with the utmost clearness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.keɪt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Verb

intricate (third-person singular simple present intricates, present participle intricating, simple past and past participle intricated)

1. (intransitive) To become enmeshed or entangled.
   • 1864 October 18, J.E. Freund, “How to Avoid the Use of Lint”, letter to the editor, in The New York Times (1864 October 23):

     […] washes off easily, without sticking or intricating into the wound.

2. (transitive) To enmesh or entangle: to cause to intricate.
   • 1994 December 12, William Safire, “Avoid Dunkirk II” (essay), in The New York Times:

     But the British and French won't hear of that; they want to get their troops extricated and our ground troops intricated.