gentled

Variant of gentle

adjective gentler, gentlest

  1. belonging to the upper classes or polite society
  2. like or suitable to polite society; refined, courteous, etc.
  3. Archaic noble; chivalrous: a gentle knight
  4. generous; kind: gentle reader
  5. easily handled; tame: a gentle dog
  6. kindly; serene; patient: a gentle disposition
  7. not violent, harsh, or rough: a gentle tap, a gentle rebuke
  8. gradual: a gentle slope

Origin: ME gentil < OFr, of noble birth < L gentilis, of the same gens (in LL, of a good family) < gens: see gens

noun

Archaic a person of the upper classes

transitive verb gentled, gentling

  1. Rare to make gentle, mild, or pleasant
  2. to tame or train (a horse)
  3. to calm or soothe as by stroking
  4. Obsolete to raise to the social status of a gentleman

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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