not severe, rough, or violent; mild: a gentle wind; a gentle tap on the shoulder.
3.
moderate: gentle heat.
4.
gradual: a gentle slope.
5.
of good birth or family; wellborn.
6.
characteristic of good birth; honorable; respectable: a gentle upbringing.
7.
easily handled or managed; tractable: a gentle animal.
8.
soft or low: a gentle sound.
9.
polite; refined: Consider, gentle reader, my terrible predicament at this juncture.
10.
entitled to a coat of arms; armigerous.
11.
Archaic. noble; chivalrous: a gentle knight.
–verb (used with object)
12.
to tame; render tractable.
13.
to mollify; calm; pacify.
14.
to make gentle.
15.
to stroke; soothe by petting.
16.
to ennoble; dignify.
[Origin: 1175–1225; ME gentle, gentil(e) < OF gentil highborn, noble < L gentīlis belonging to the same family, equiv. to gent- (s. of géns) gens+ -īlis-le]
—Related forms
gen·tle·ness, noun
gently, adverb
—Synonyms 1. clement, peaceful, pacific, soothing; tender, humane, lenient, merciful. Gentle,meek,mild refer to an absence of bad temper or belligerence. Gentle has reference esp. to disposition and behavior, and often suggests a deliberate or voluntary kindness or forbearance in dealing with others: a gentle pat; gentle with children. Meek implies a submissive spirit, and may even indicate undue submission in the face of insult or injustice: meek and even servile or weak. Mild suggests absence of harshness or severity, rather because of natural character or temperament than conscious choice: a mild rebuke; a mild manner. 3. temperate. 5. noble. 7. manageable, docile, tame, quiet. 9. courteous; polished.
Considerate or kindly in disposition; amiable and tender.
Not harsh or severe; mild and soft: a gentle scolding; a gentle tapping at the window.
Easily managed or handled; docile: a gentle horse.
Not steep or sudden; gradual: a gentle incline.
Of good family; wellborn: a child of gentle birth.
Suited to one of good breeding; refined and polite: a gentle greeting to a stranger.
Archaic Noble; chivalrous: a gentle knight.
n.
Archaic
One of good birth or relatively high station.
tr.v.
gen·tled, gen·tling, gen·tles
To make less severe or intense: The peaceful sunset gentled her dreadful mood.
To soothe, as by stroking; pacify.
To tame or break (a domestic animal, for instance): gentle a horse.
To raise to the status of a noble.
[Middle English gentil, courteous, noble, from Old French, from Latin gentīlis, of the same clan, from gēns, gent-, clan; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]
c.1225, from O.Fr. gentil "high-born, noble," from L. gentilis "of the same family or clan," from gens (gen. gentis) "race, clan," from root of gignere "beget" (see kin), from PIE base *gen- "produce." Sense of "gracious, kind" (now obsolete) first recorded c.1280; that of "mild, tender" is 1552. Older sense remains in gentleman "well-born man" (c.1275). Gentleman's agreement is first attested 1929.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe; "a gentle reprimand"; "a vein of gentle irony"; "poked gentle fun at him"
2.
having or showing a kindly or tender nature; "the gentle touch of her hand"; "her gentle manner was comforting"; "a gentle sensitive nature"; "gentle blue eyes"
3.
quiet and soothing; "a gentle voice"; "a gentle nocturne"
4.
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; "an aristocratic family"; "aristocratic Bostonians"; "aristocratic government"; "a blue family"; "blue blood"; "the blue-blooded aristocracy"; "of gentle blood"; "patrician landholders of the American South"; "aristocratic bearing"; "aristocratic features"; "patrician tastes" [syn: aristocratic]
5.
easily handled or managed; "a gentle old horse, docile and obedient" [syn: docile]
6.
having little impact; "an easy pat on the shoulder"; "gentle rain"; "a gentle breeze"; "a soft (or light) tapping at the window" [syn: easy]
7.
marked by moderate steepness; "an easy climb"; "a gentle slope" [syn: easy]
verb
1.
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of; "She managed to mollify the angry customer" [syn: pacify]
2.
give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility [syn: ennoble]
Gen"der\, n. [OF. genre, gendre (with excrescent d.), F. genre, fr. L. genus, generis, birth, descent, race, kind, gender, fr. the root of genere, gignere, to beget, in pass., to be born, akin to E. kin. See Kin, and cf. Generate, Genre, Gentle, Genus.]1. Kind; sort. [Obs.] "One gender of herbs." --Shak. 2. Sex, male or female. [Obs. or Colloq.] 3. (Gram.) A classification of nouns, primarily according to sex; and secondarily according to some fancied or imputed quality associated with sex. Gender is a grammatical distinction and applies to words only. Sex is natural distinction and applies to living objects. --R. Morris. Note: Adjectives and pronouns are said to vary in gender when the form is varied according to the gender of the words to which they refer.
Gens\ (j[e^]nz), n.; pl. Gentes (j[e^]n"t[=e]z). [L. See Gentle, a.] (Rom. Hist.) 1. A clan or family connection, embracing several families of the same stock, who had a common name and certain common religious rites; a subdivision of the Roman curia or tribe. 2. (Ethnol.) A minor subdivision of a tribe, among American aborigines. It includes those who have a common descent, and bear the same totem.
Gen*teel"\, a. [F. gentil noble, pretty, graceful. See Gentle.]1. Possessing or exhibiting the qualities popularly regarded as belonging to high birth and breeding; free from vulgarity, or lowness of taste or behavior; adapted to a refined or cultivated taste; polite; well-bred; as, genteel company, manners, address. 2. Graceful in mien or form; elegant in appearance, dress, or manner; as, the lady has a genteel person. Law. 3. Suited to the position of lady or a gentleman; as, to live in a genteel allowance. Syn: Polite; well-bred; refined; polished.
Gen"tile\, n. [L. gentilis belonging to the same clan, stock, race, people, or nation; in opposition to Roman, a foreigner; in opposition to Jew or Christian, a heathen: cf. F. gentil. See Gentle, a.] One of a non-Jewish nation; one neither a Jew nor a Christian; a worshiper of false gods; a heathen. Note: The Hebrews included in the term g[=o]yim, or nations, all the tribes of men who had not received the true faith, and were not circumcised. The Christians translated g[=o]yim by the L. gentes, and imitated the Jews in giving the name gentiles to all nations who were neither Jews nor Christians. In civil affairs, the denomination was given to all nations who were not Romans. Syn: Pagan; heathen. See Pagan.
Gen"tle\, a. [Compar. Gentler; superl. Gentlest.] [OE. gentil, F. gentil noble, pretty, graceful, fr. L. gentilis of the same clan or race, fr. gens, gentis, tribe, clan, race, orig. that which belongs together by birth, fr. the root of genere, gignere, to beget; hence gentle, properly, of birth or family, that is, of good or noble birth. See Gender, and cf. Genteel, Gentil, Gentile, Gentoo, Jaunty.]1. Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble. British society is divided into nobility, gentry, and yeomanry, and families are either noble, gentle, or simple. --Johnson's Cyc. The studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time. --Milton. 2. Quiet and refined in manners; not rough, harsh, or stern; mild; meek; bland; amiable; tender; as, a gentle nature, temper, or disposition; a gentle manner; a gentle address; a gentle voice. 3. A compellative of respect, consideration, or conciliation; as, gentle reader. "Gentle sirs." "Gentle Jew." "Gentle servant." --Shak. 4. Not wild, turbulent, or refractory; quiet and docile; tame; peaceable; as, a gentle horse. 5. Soft; not violent or rough; not strong, loud, or disturbing; easy; soothing; pacific; as, a gentle touch; a gentle gallop . "Gentle music." --Sir J. Davies. O sleep! it is a gentle thing. --Coleridge. The gentle craft, the art or trade of shoemaking. Syn: Mild; meek; placid; dovelike; quiet; peaceful; pacific; bland; soft; tame; tractable; docile. Usage: Gentle, Tame, Mild, Meek. Gentle describes the natural disposition; tame, that which is subdued by training; mild implies a temper which is, by nature, not easily provoked; meek, a spirit which has been schooled to mildness by discipline or suffering. The lamb is gentle; the domestic fowl is tame; John, the Apostle, was mild; Moses was meek.
Gen"tle\, a. [Compar. Gentler; superl. Gentlest.] [OE. gentil, F. gentil noble, pretty, graceful, fr. L. gentilis of the same clan or race, fr. gens, gentis, tribe, clan, race, orig. that which belongs together by birth, fr. the root of genere, gignere, to beget; hence gentle, properly, of birth or family, that is, of good or noble birth. See Gender, and cf. Genteel, Gentil, Gentile, Gentoo, Jaunty.]1. Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble. British society is divided into nobility, gentry, and yeomanry, and families are either noble, gentle, or simple. --Johnson's Cyc. The studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time. --Milton. 2. Quiet and refined in manners; not rough, harsh, or stern; mild; meek; bland; amiable; tender; as, a gentle nature, temper, or disposition; a gentle manner; a gentle address; a gentle voice. 3. A compellative of respect, consideration, or conciliation; as, gentle reader. "Gentle sirs." "Gentle Jew." "Gentle servant." --Shak. 4. Not wild, turbulent, or refractory; quiet and docile; tame; peaceable; as, a gentle horse. 5. Soft; not violent or rough; not strong, loud, or disturbing; easy; soothing; pacific; as, a gentle touch; a gentle gallop . "Gentle music." --Sir J. Davies. O sleep! it is a gentle thing. --Coleridge. The gentle craft, the art or trade of shoemaking. Syn: Mild; meek; placid; dovelike; quiet; peaceful; pacific; bland; soft; tame; tractable; docile. Usage: Gentle, Tame, Mild, Meek. Gentle describes the natural disposition; tame, that which is subdued by training; mild implies a temper which is, by nature, not easily provoked; meek, a spirit which has been schooled to mildness by discipline or suffering. The lamb is gentle; the domestic fowl is tame; John, the Apostle, was mild; Moses was meek.
Gen"tle\, n. 1. One well born; a gentleman. [Obs.] Gentles, methinks you frown. --Shak. 2. A trained falcon. See Falcon-gentil. 3. (Zo["o]l.) A dipterous larva used as fish bait.
Gent"le\, v. t. 1. To make genteel; to raise from the vulgar; to ennoble. [Obs.] --Shak. 2. To make smooth, cozy, or agreeable. [R. or Poet.] To gentle life's descent, We shut our eyes, and think it is a plain. --Young. 3. To make kind and docile, as a horse. [Colloq.]
Gen"try\, n. [OE. genterie, gentrie, noble birth, nobility, cf. gentrise, and OF. gentelise, genterise, E. gentilesse, also OE. genteleri high-mindedness. See Gent, a., Gentle, a.]1. Birth; condition; rank by birth. [Obs.] "Pride of gentrie." --Chaucer. She conquers him by high almighty Jove, By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath. --Shak. 2. People of education and good breeding; in England, in a restricted sense, those between the nobility and the yeomanry. --Macaulay. 3. Courtesy; civility; complaisance. [Obs.] To show us so much gentry and good will. --Shak.
Jaun"ty\, a. [Compar. Jauntier; superl. Jauntiest.] [Formerly spelt janty, fr. F. gentil. See Gentle, and cf. Genty.] Airy; showy; finical; hence, characterized by an affected or fantastical manner.
Meek\, a. [Compar. Meeker; superl. Meekest.] [OE. mek, meoc; akin to Icel. mj?kr mild, soft, Sw. mjuk, Dan. myg, D. muik, Goth. mukam?dei gentleness.]1. Mild of temper; not easily provoked or orritated; patient under injuries; not vain, or haughty, or resentful; forbearing; submissive. Not the man Moses was very meek. --Num. xii. 3. 2. Evincing mildness of temper, or patience; characterized by mildness or patience; as, a meek answer; a meek face. "Her meek prayer." --Chaucer. Syn: Gentle; mild; soft; yielding; pacific; unassuming; humble. See Gentle.
Mild\, a. [Compar. Milder; superl. Mildest.] [AS. milde; akin to OS. mildi, D. & G. mild, OHG. milti, Icel. mildr, Sw. & Dan. mild, Goth. milds; cf. Lith. melas dear, Gr. ? gladdening gifts.] Gentle; pleasant; kind; soft; bland; clement; hence, moderate in degree or quality; -- the opposite of harsh, severe, irritating, violent, disagreeable, etc.; -- applied to persons and things; as, a mild disposition; a mild eye; a mild air; a mild medicine; a mild insanity. The rosy morn resigns her light And milder glory to the noon. --Waller. Adore him as a mild and merciful Being. --Rogers. Mild, or Low, steel, steel that has but little carbon in it and is not readily hardened. Syn: Soft; gentle; bland; calm; tranquil; soothing; pleasant; placid; meek; kind; tender; indulgent; clement; mollifying; lenitive; assuasive. See Gentle.
Tame\, a. [Compar. Tamer; superl. Tamest.] [AS. tam; akin to D. tam, G. zahm, OHG. zam, Dan. & Sw. tam, Icel. tamr, L. domare to tame, Gr. ?, Skr. dam to be tame, to tame, and perhaps to E. beteem. [root]61. Cf. Adamant, Diamond, Dame, Daunt, Indomitable.]1. Reduced from a state of native wildness and shyness; accustomed to man; domesticated; domestic; as, a tame deer, a tame bird. 2. Crushed; subdued; depressed; spiritless. Tame slaves of the laborious plow. --Roscommon. 3. Deficient in spirit or animation; spiritless; dull; flat; insipid; as, a tame poem; tame scenery. Syn: Gentle; mild; meek. See Gentle.
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