Definition of Gentle

1. Adjective. Soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe. "Poked gentle fun at him"

Exact synonyms: Soft
Similar to: Mild
Derivative terms: Gentleness

2. Verb. Cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of. "The performance is likely to gentle Sue"; "She managed to mollify the angry customer"

3. Adjective. Having or showing a kindly or tender nature. "Gentle blue eyes"
Similar to: Kind
Derivative terms: Gentleness

4. Verb. Give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility.
Exact synonyms: Ennoble, Entitle
Generic synonyms: Advance, Elevate, Kick Upstairs, Promote, Raise, Upgrade
Specialized synonyms: Baronetise, Baronetize, Lord, Dub, Knight
Derivative terms: Ennoblement

5. Adjective. Quiet and soothing. "A gentle nocturne"
Similar to: Soft
Derivative terms: Gentleness

6. Verb. Stroke soothingly.
Generic synonyms: Pet

7. Adjective. Belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy. "Patrician tastes"

8. Adjective. Easily handled or managed. "A gentle old horse, docile and obedient"
Exact synonyms: Docile
Similar to: Tame, Tamed
Derivative terms: Docility

9. Adjective. Having little impact. "A soft (or light) tapping at the window"
Exact synonyms: Easy, Soft
Similar to: Light
Derivative terms: Gentleness

10. Adjective. Marked by moderate steepness. "A gentle slope"
Exact synonyms: Easy
Similar to: Gradual
Derivative terms: Easiness, Gentleness

Definition of Gentle

1. a. Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble.

2. n. One well born; a gentleman.

3. v. t. To make genteel; to raise from the vulgar; to ennoble.

Definition of Gentle

1. Adjective. Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition ¹

2. Adjective. Soft and mild rather than hard or severe ¹

3. Adjective. Docile and easily managed ¹

4. Adjective. Gradual rather than steep or sudden ¹

5. Adjective. Polite and respectful rather than rude ¹

6. Verb. (intransitive) to become gentle (rfex) ¹

7. Verb. (transitive) to ennoble (rfex) ¹

8. Verb. (transitive animal husbandry) to break; to tame; to domesticate (rfex) ¹

9. Verb. (transitive) To soothe; to calm. (rfex) ¹

10. Noun. (archaic) A person of high birth. (rfex) ¹

11. Noun. (archaic) A maggot used as bait by anglers (rfex) ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Gentle

1. mild [v -TLED, -TLING, -TLES] - See also: mild

Medical Definition of Gentle

1. 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." 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." "O sleep! it is a gentle thing." (Coleridge) The gentle craft, the art or trade of shoemaking. Synonym: Mild, meek, placid, dovelike, quiet, peaceful, pacific, bland, soft, tame, tractable, docile. 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. Origin: 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. One well born; a gentleman. "Gentles, methinks you frown." 2. A trained falcon. See Falcon-gentil. 3. A dipterous larva used as fish bait. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Gentle

gentilish
gentilism
gentilities
gentility
gentilize
gentilized
gentilizes
gentilizing
gentilly
gentiobiase
gentiobiose
gentiopicrin
gentiopikrin
gentisic acid
gentisin
gentle (current term)
gentle-hearted
gentle breeze
gentle wind
gentled
gentlefolk
gentlefolks
gentleladies
gentlelady
gentleman
gentleman's-cane
gentleman's agreement
gentleman's bet
gentleman's gentleman
gentleman-at-arms

Literary usage of Gentle

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1886)
"The charm in reading Evangeline aloud, after a clear understanding of the sense, which is the essential in all good reading, is found in this gentle labor ..."

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