gentle
/'dʤentl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Mild or moderate in force, degree, or intensity: Describing something not harsh, strong, or severe.
- Kind, tender, or amiable in nature, manner, or appearance: Having or showing a considerate and kindly disposition.
- Of good family or noble birth: Belonging to or characteristic of the aristocracy (archaic or formal usage).
- Easily managed or handled; docile: Used particularly for animals.
- Gradual or not steep: Used to describe a slope or incline.
Verb:
- To make or become gentle; to calm or soothe: To cause something or someone to become less harsh, severe, or agitated.
- To tame or make docile: Often used in the context of training animals.
- To stroke lightly: To touch in a soft, soothing manner.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- She spoke in a gentle voice to calm the child.
- The hill had a gentle slope, making it easy to climb.
- He has a gentle nature and is loved by everyone.
- A gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
Verb:
- She tried to gentle the frightened horse with soft words.
- He gentled his tone when he saw she was upset.
Advanced Usage
"The gentle sex": (Idiomatic, now often considered dated) A term referring to women.
- Novels of the 19th century often idealized the virtues of the gentle sex.
"Of gentle birth": (Archaic/Formal) Born into a family of high social standing.
- In the story, the hero was a knight of gentle birth.
Variants and Related Words
Gently (adverb): In a gentle manner.
- He closed the door gently.
Gentleness (noun): The quality of being gentle.
- Her gentleness with the patients was remarkable.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Mild, soft, tender, kind, lenient, placid, docile, gradual.
- Verb: Soothe, calm, pacify, mollify, tame.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
(Note: "Gentle" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its verbal use is typically transitive.)
Related Idioms
"Gentle as a lamb": Extremely mild-tempered and docile.
- Despite his size, the dog is gentle as a lamb with children.
"A gentle hint": A subtle or indirect suggestion.
- She dropped a gentle hint that she would like flowers for her birthday.
Adjective
- marked by moderate steepness
- an easy climb
- a gentle slope
- having little impact
- an easy pat on the shoulder
- gentle rain
- a gentle breeze
- a soft (or light) tapping at the window
- easily handled or managed
- a gentle old horse, docile and obedient
- 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 American South
- aristocratic bearing
- aristocratic features
- patrician tastes
- quiet and soothing
- a gentle voice
- a gentle nocturne
- 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
- soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
- a gentle reprimand
- a vein of gentle irony
- poked gentle fun at him
Verb
- stroke soothingly
- give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility
- cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
- She managed to mollify the angry customer