GENTLE

I. adjective (~r; ~st) see: kin Date: 13th century 1. belonging to a family of high social station, chivalrous , honorable , distinguished , kind , amiable , suited to a person of high social station, 2. tractable , docile , free from harshness, sternness, or violence, soft , delicate , moderate , gently adverb II. noun Date: 14th century a person of ~ birth or status, III. verb (~d; gentling) Date: 14th century transitive verb to raise from the commonalty ; ennoble , 2. to make ~r, to make (an animal) tame and docile, mollify , placate , to stroke soothingly ; pet , intransitive verb to become ~