~ 1
■ adjective ( ~r , ~st )
1》 mild and kind in temperament or character.
2》 moderate in effect or degree: a ~ breeze.
3》 archaic noble or courteous.
■ verb make or become ~.
↘touch gently.
Derivatives
~ness noun
gently adverb
Origin
ME: from OFr. gentil 'high-born, noble', from L. gentilis (see gentile ).
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~ 2
■ noun Fishing a maggot, especially the larva of a blowfly, used as bait.
Origin
C16: prob. from an obs. sense of ~ 1 , 'soft, pliant'.