gentle

[Gen·tle]

Use the adjective gentle to describe something that is soothing or kind, like a person with a tender nature or the soft sound of light rain.

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

Verb
stroke soothingly

Verb
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of; "She managed to mollify the angry customer"

Verb
give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility

Adjective S.
marked by moderate steepness; "an easy climb"; "a gentle slope"

Adjective S.
having little impact; "an easy pat on the shoulder"; "gentle rain"; "a gentle breeze"; "a soft (or light) tapping at the window"

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Adjective S.
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"

Adjective S.
quiet and soothing; "a gentle voice"; "a gentle nocturne"

Adjective S.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe; "a gentle reprimand"; "a vein of gentle irony"; "poked gentle fun at him"

Adjective S.
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

Adjective S.
easily handled or managed; "a gentle old horse, docile and obedient"

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

superl.
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.

superl.
A compellative of respect, consideration, or conciliation; as, gentle reader.

superl.
Not wild, turbulent, or refractory; quiet and docile; tame; peaceable; as, a gentle horse.

superl.
Soft; not violent or rough; not strong, loud, or disturbing; easy; soothing; pacific; as, a gentle touch; a gentle gallop .

n.
One well born; a gentleman.

n.
A trained falcon. See Falcon-gentil.

n.
A dipterous larva used as fish bait.

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

v. t.
To make smooth, cozy, or agreeable.

v. t.
To make kind and docile, as a horse.

Gentle

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.

The studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time.

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.

The gentle craft, the art or trade of shoemaking. Syn. -- 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.

Gentle

Gen"tle, n. 1. One well born; a gentleman. [Obs.]

Gentles, methinks you frown. Shak. 2. A trained falcon. See Falcon-gentil. 3. (Zo'94l.) A dipterous larva used as fish bait.
Gentle
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.
3. To make kind and docile, as a horse. [Colloq.]
Gentlefolk, Gentlefolks
Gen"tle*folk` , Gen"tle*folks` , n. pl. Persons of gentle or good family and breeding. [Generally in the United States in the plural form.] Shak.
Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble.
One well born; a gentleman.
To make genteel; to raise from the vulgar; to ennoble.

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Usage Examples

Flirting is the gentle art of making a man feel pleased with himself.

But curb thou the high spirit in thy breast, for gentle ways are best, and keep aloof from sharp contentions.

All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers. If every child could drift to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of their family - and God's love - this world would be a far more gentle and better place.

Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed too severe, seldom executed.

A great wind swept over the ghetto, carrying away shame, invisibility and four centuries of humiliation. But when the wind dropped people saw it had been only a little breeze, friendly, almost gentle.

Fame is indeed beautiful and benign and gentle and satisfying, but happiness is something at once tender and brilliant beyond all things.

I remember when humor was gentle pokes. I used to call it 'arm around the shoulder' humor. Now they go for the jugular and they take no prisoners. It's mean, mean stuff.

I'm not really big on slapstick humor. I like gentle humor.

Misspelled Form

gentle, fgentle, tgentle, ygentle, hgentle, bgentle, vgentle, fentle, tentle, yentle, hentle, bentle, ventle, gfentle, gtentle, gyentle, ghentle, gbentle, gventle, gwentle, g3entle, g4entle, grentle, gsentle, gdentle, gwntle, g3ntle, g4ntle, grntle, gsntle, gdntle, gewntle, ge3ntle, ge4ntle, gerntle, gesntle, gedntle, gebntle, gehntle, gejntle, gemntle, ge ntle, gebtle, gehtle, gejtle, gemtle, ge tle, genbtle, genhtle, genjtle, genmtle, gen tle, genrtle, gen5tle, gen6tle, genytle, gengtle, genrle, gen5le, gen6le, genyle, gengle, gentrle, gent5le, gent6le, gentyle, gentgle, gentkle, gentole, gentple, gent:le, gentke, gentoe, gentpe, gent:e, gentlke, gentloe, gentlpe, gentl:e, gentlwe, gentl3e, gentl4e, gentlre, gentlse, gentlde, gentlw, gentl3, gentl4, gentlr, gentls, gentld, gentlew, gentle3, gentle4, gentler, gentles, gentled.

Other Usage Examples

In a gentle way, you can shake the world.

Daddy was real gentle with kids. That's why I expected so much out of marriage, figuring that all men should be steady and pleasant.

Culture makes all men gentle.

Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.

It is not light that we need, but fire it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.

Let the gentle bush dig its root deep and spread upward to split the boulder.

A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.

Lord, give us the wisdom to utter words that are gentle and tender, for tomorrow we may have to eat them.