# gentle

Pronunciation: say "JEN-tuhl" US /ˈd͡ʒɛntl̩/, UK /ˈdʒɛntl̩/

## Adjective

1. Mild and soft in character or effect, with nothing harsh or severe about it.
   - Simple: Soft and mild, not hard or rough.
   - _The nurse spoke in a gentle voice to calm the frightened child._
   - _A gentle rain fell steadily over the fields all afternoon._
2. Tender and amiable, having a considerate and kindly nature.
   - Simple: Kind and caring toward other people.
   - _She was known as a gentle soul, always ready to comfort those in distress._
   - _Their gentle host made every guest feel welcome and cared for._
3. Rising, falling, or changing gradually rather than steeply or abruptly.
   - Simple: Going up or down slowly, not steep.
   - _The road follows a gentle incline toward the valley floor._
   - _A gentle curve in the river slowed the boat's pace._
4. Courteous and considerate in manner, with no trace of rudeness.
   - Simple: Polite and respectful, not rude.
   - _A gentle correction from the teacher spared the student any embarrassment._
   - _His gentle manner of refusing kept everyone at ease._
5. Docile and easily controlled, not difficult to handle.
   - Simple: Calm and easy to control, like a tame animal.
   - _The mare proved gentle enough for novice riders to handle alone._
   - _A gentle old horse stood patiently while the children petted it._

## Verb

6. To soothe or calm someone, or to make something milder.
   - Simple: To make someone or something calm and relaxed.
   - _The trainer gentled the frightened horse before leading it out._
   - _A soft lullaby can gentle a restless child into sleep._
7. To break in, tame, or domesticate an animal so it accepts handling.
   - Simple: To train a wild animal so it is calm and safe to handle.
   - _Experienced handlers gentle young horses gradually, building trust over many sessions._
   - _She gentled the mustang until it accepted a rider._
8. To grow calmer, softer, or milder.
   - Simple: To slowly become calm and soft.
   - _Her expression gentled as the child approached._
   - _Storms often gentle once they move over land._

## Noun

9. A maggot of the kind that anglers put on a hook as bait.
   - Simple: A small maggot that anglers use to catch fish.
   - _She threaded a wriggling gentle onto the hook before casting._
   - _Anglers often keep gentles in sawdust to slow them down._
10. A trained falcon, also known as a falcon-gentle.
   - Simple: A trained falcon used in falconry.
   - _She flew her gentle at herons along the marsh._
   - _The falconer hooded the gentle between flights._

## Adjective

11. Born into a good or respectable family, though not of noble rank. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Born into a respected family, but not a noble one.
   - _A young man of gentle birth, he was raised to manage the family estate._
   - _Her gentle parentage opened doors that wealth alone could not._

## Noun

12. A person born into a family of high social rank. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A person born into a high or important family.
   - _A gentle of the old court, he expected deference wherever he went._
   - _The gentles took their seats above the common folk at the banquet._

## Verb

13. To make noble; to raise a person to noble rank. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To raise someone to a noble rank.

## Origin

This word comes from Middle English gentil ("courteous, noble"), from Old French gentil ("high-born, noble"), which came from Latin gentilis ("of the same family or clan"), from gens (a Roman "clan"). It is a doublet of gentile, genteel, and jaunty.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/gentle (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).