David Zapatka
Reader and bridge player Andrew Sauter wrote, “’shenanigans’ shows up every couple of years in movies, but why? Also, cool words like ‘syzygy,’ ‘brouhaha’ (ha ha it’s funny to say twice), the kids’ string game Cat’s Cradle (do cats sleep in there if you are not careful?)”
While reading Titus Techera’s article, Recovering Liberty’s Philosopher, I came across this sentence, “This is his way of gentling the man, and it is obvious above all in the pleasure of reading his work.” On a related note, I was at Gold Canyon’s Renaissance Festival with my daughter and grandsons when I heard the announcer in the arena refer to those in the audience as gentles. Did you know the word “gentle” can be used as an adjective, a noun, and a verb?
Gentle—gen·tle jen-tel adjective 1.a. free from harshness, sternness, or violence 1.b. tractable, docile 2. soft, delicate 3. moderate 4.a. belonging to a family of high social station 4.b. honorable, distinguished 4.c. kind, amiable 4.d. suited to a person of high social station 4.e. chivalrous noun 1.a. a person of gentle birth or status verb to make an animal tame or docile 1.b mollify; placate 1.c to stroke soothingly; pet 2. to raise from the commonality; ennoble
Origin and Etymology—adjective—Middle English gentyl “of aristocratic birth, exhibiting ideal characteristics of the wellborn, of excellent quality, gracious, courteous, kind,” borrowed from Anglo-French gentil, borrowed from Medieval Latin gentīlis “of oneʼs own house, of good family or breeding, native, of a non-Jewish nation or faith, not Christian, pagan,” going back to Latin “of a Roman gens, of oneʼs own family or tribe, native,” from gent-, gens “race, people, gens” + -īlis, suffix of affiliation noun—Middle English gentil borrowed from Anglo-French, derivative of gentil “of aristocratic birth” verb—Middle English gentylen, derivative of gentyl
First Known Use—adjective—13th century noun—15th century verb—1532
Gentle used as an adjective in a sentence:
The cold snap was a gentle reminder that winter was coming.
Gentle used as a noun in a sentence:
The archbishop treated both the gentles and the commoners with respect and kindness.
Gentle used as a verb in a sentence:
He soothingly gentled his cat’s head as she was being treated by the vet.
Gentle used as an adjective, noun and verb on the web:
Just love, patience, and someone who sees the beauty in older cats with soft hearts and gentle spirits.—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2025
Zinc oxide is a key ingredient in most infant diaper creams so it’s ultra gentle.—Bea McMonagle, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Such symptoms can be helped by gentling, cleaning the outside of your eye with warm water to remove crust and avoiding aggravating your symptoms by scratching or rubbing your eyes.—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
Please submit your gentle or gentling experiences or any word you may like to share, along with your insights and comments, to [email protected].