gentle: Meaning and Definition of

gen•tle

Pronunciation: ( jen'tl), [key]
— adj., v., -tler, -tlest, -tled, -tling.
—adj.
  1. kindly; amiable: a gentle manner.
  2. 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. noble; chivalrous: a gentle knight.
—v.t.
  1. to tame; render tractable.
  2. to mollify; calm; pacify.
  3. to make gentle.
  4. to stroke; soothe by petting.
  5. to ennoble; dignify.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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