pos>a. [ L. facilis, prop., capable of being done or made, hence, facile, easy, fr. facere to make, do: cf. F. facile. Srr Fact, and cf. Faculty. ] 1. Easy to be done or performed: not difficult; performable or attainable with little labor. [ 1913 Webster ] Order . . . will render the work facile and delightful. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Easy to be surmounted or removed; easily conquerable; readily mastered. [ 1913 Webster ] The facile gates of hell too slightly barred. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Easy of access or converse; mild; courteous; not haughty, austere, or distant; affable; complaisant. [ 1913 Webster ] I meant she should be courteous, facile, sweet. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Easily persuaded to good or bad; yielding; ductile to a fault; pliant; flexible. [ 1913 Webster ] Since Adam, and his facile consort Eve, Lost Paradise, deceived by me. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] This is treating Burns like a child, a person of so facile a disposition as not to be trusted without a keeper on the king's highway. Prof. Wilson. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Ready; quick; expert; as, he is facile in expedients; he wields a facile pen. -- Fac"ile*ly, adv. -- Fac"ile*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ] |