1. Kind; not harsh, stern or severe
   "a vein of gentle irony"; "poked gentle fun at him"; "a gentle reprimand";
   - soft
    
2. Having or showing a kindly or tender nature
   "a gentle sensitive nature"; "gentle blue eyes"; "the gentle touch of her hand"; "her gentle manner was comforting"
    
3. Quiet and soothing
   "a gentle voice"; "a gentle nocturne"
    
4. Easily handled or managed
   "a gentle old horse, docile and obedient";
   - docile
    
5. Having little impact
   "gentle rain"; "a gentle breeze";
   - easy, soft
    
6. Marked by moderate steepness
   "a gentle slope";
   - easy
    
7. [archaic] Belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy
   "of gentle blood";
   - aristocratic, aristocratical, blue, blue-blooded, patrician

1. Cause to be more favourably inclined; gain the good will of
   "She managed to gentle the angry customer";
   - pacify, lenify [archaic], conciliate, assuage, appease, mollify, placate, gruntle
    
2. Stroke soothingly
   "She gentled the horse to calm it down"
    
3. [archaic] Give a title to someone; make someone a member of the nobility
   "The monarch gentled several commoners in recognition of their contributions";
   - ennoble, entitle

Derived forms: gentles, gentling, gentled, gentler, gentlest

See also: gradual, kind, light, mild, noble, soft, tame, tamed

Type of: advance, calm, calm down, elevate, kick upstairs [informal], lull, pet, promote, quiet, quieten [Brit], raise, still, tranquilize [N. Amer], tranquillise [Brit], tranquillize, upgrade

Encyclopedia: Gentle, Mary