Definition

1. 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.

2. 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

1. marked by moderate steepness
   • an easy climb
   • a gentle slope
2. having little impact
   • an easy pat on the shoulder
   • gentle rain
   • a gentle breeze
   • a soft (or light) tapping at the window
3. easily handled or managed
   • a gentle old horse, docile and obedient
4. 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
5. quiet and soothing
   • a gentle voice
   • a gentle nocturne
6. 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
7. soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
   • a gentle reprimand
   • a vein of gentle irony
   • poked gentle fun at him

Verb

1. stroke soothingly
2. give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility
3. cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
   • She managed to mollify the angry customer