gentle

adj., -tler, -tlest.

1. Considerate or kindly in disposition; amiable and tender.
2. Not harsh or severe; mild and soft: a gentle scolding; a gentle tapping at the window.
3. Easily managed or handled; docile: a gentle horse.
4. Not steep or sudden; gradual: a gentle incline.
5. 1. Of good family; wellborn: a child of gentle birth.
   2. Suited to one of good breeding; refined and polite: a gentle greeting to a stranger.
6. Archaic. Noble; chivalrous: a gentle knight.

n. Archaic.

One of good birth or relatively high station.

tr.v., -tled, -tling, -tles.

1. To make less severe or intense: The peaceful sunset gentled her dreadful mood.
2. To soothe, as by stroking; pacify.
3. To tame or break (a domestic animal, for instance): gentle a horse.
4. To raise to the status of a noble.

[Middle English gentil, courteous, noble, from Old French, from Latin gentīlis, of the same clan, from gēns, gent-, clan.]

gentleness gen'tle·ness n.
gently gen'tly adv.

adjective

1. Of a kindly, considerate character: mild, soft, softhearted, tender¹, tenderhearted. See kind/cruel.
2. Free from severity or violence, as in movement: balmy¹, delicate, faint, mild, smooth, soft. See calm/agitation, strong/weak.
3. Of small intensity: light², moderate, slight, soft. See strong/weak.
4. Easily managed or handled: docile, meek, mild, tame. See wild/tame.
5. Not steep or abrupt: easy, gradual, moderate. See rise/fall.

verb

1. To ease the anger or agitation of: appease, assuage, calm (down), conciliate, dulcify, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate, soften, soothe, sweeten. Idioms: pour oil on troubled water. See calm/agitation.
2. To train to live with and be of use to people: domesticate, domesticize, master, tame. See wild/tame.
3. To make (an animal) docile: break, bust, master, tame. See wild/tame.

adj

Definition: mild or kind nature; delicate
Antonyms: crude, rough, strong, troubled, unkind, violent, wild

adj

Definition: mild, temperate in effect on senses
Antonyms: harsh, loud, odorous, putrid, rough, sharp, strong

adj

Definition: of noble birth
Antonyms: base, crude, low

---

To accustom a young horse to be caught, handled, haltered and led but not broken in to saddle or harness.

IN BRIEF: Mild, soft, or easy. Also: Gradual.

In a gentle way, you can shake the world. — Gandhi (1869-1948).

Tutor's tip: A "gentile" (one who is not Jewish or Mormon) can be "genteel" (polite) and also "gentle" (kind).

Dansk (Danish)
1.
adj. - mild, blid, venlig
v. intr. - løje af, mildnes
v. tr. - ophøje, adle

idioms:

• gentle sex    det svage køn

2.
n. - spyfluelarve, hun-vandrefalk

Nederlands (Dutch)
zachtaardig, gematigd, edel, hoffelijk, vriendelijk, adellijk, verzachten, temmen, aaien, tot de adelstand verheffen, iemand van adel

Français (French)
1.
adj. - doux, discret, léger, en douceur, sans heurts, modéré, noble, bien né (arch), aimable (hum)
v. intr. - (US) nuancer, apaiser, s'apaiser
v. tr. - (US) nuancer, apaiser

idioms:

• gentle sex    sexe faible

2.
n. - ver (utilisé comme hameçon)

Deutsch (German)
1.
adj. - mild, freundlich, sanftmütig
v. - zähmen, besänftigen

idioms:

• gentle sex    das zarte Geschlecht

2.
n. - Fleischmade, vornehme Person

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ευγενικός, πράος, γλυκός, ελαφρός, ήπιος, μαλακός, απαλός, αριστοκρατικός
v. - μαλακώνω, γλυκομιλώ (σε άλογο)
n. - (καθομ.) σκουλήκια δολώματος

idioms:

• gentle sex    το ασθενές/ωραίο φύλο

Italiano (Italian)
cortese, gentile, affabile, mite

idioms:

• gentle sex    il sesso debole

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - suave, tolerante, tranqüilo
adv. - suavemente, moderadamente, cortesmente
v. - domar, moderar

idioms:

• gentle sex    sexo (m) frágil

Русский (Russian)
кроткий, мягкий, благородный, смирный (о животных), облагораживать, объезжать (лошадь)

idioms:

• gentle sex    прекрасный пол

Español (Spanish)
1.
adj. - bueno, bondadoso, amable, simpático, tierno, suave, blando, ligero, lento
v. intr. - suavizarse, calmarse, tranquilizarse
v. tr. - domar, suavizar, calmar, pacificar, acariciar

idioms:

• gentle sex    el sexo débil, el bello sexo

2.
n. - persona de buena familia o de origen noble

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - mild, vänlig, snäll, ädel, förnäm
v. - tämja eller träna, lugna eller lindra genom strykande rörelse
n. - köttflugelarv

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
温和的, 文雅的, 出身高贵的人, 蛆, 使温和, 爱抚, 使驯服

idioms:

• gentle sex    妇女

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 溫和的, 文雅的
n. - 出身高貴的人, 蛆
v. tr. - 使溫和, 愛撫, 使馴服

idioms:

• gentle sex    婦女

한국어 (Korean)
1.
adj. - 친절한, 예의가 바른
v. intr. - 마음을 풀어주다
v. tr. - 길들이다

2.
n. - 미끼로 쓰는 구더기

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 優しい, 穏やかな, 温和な, おとなしい
n. - 良家の人, うじ
v. - 馴らす

idioms:

• gentle sex    女性

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) لطيف, دمث (فعل) يروض, يلطف, يهدئ (الاسم) احد النبلاء‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮עדין, נוח, רך, אציל, מתון, מיוחס, הדרגתי, מגלה יחס טוב‬
v. tr. - ‮עשה לנוח, מיתן, התייחס (לסוס וכו') בתקיפות ובמתינות‬
n. - ‮זחל של זבוב התכלת המשמש בפיתיון בדיג‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.