Middle English Dictionary Entry
ǧentī̆l-man n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ǧentī̆l-man n. |
| Etymology | Cp. ǧentī̆l adj. & man. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) A man of noble or gentle birth, one of the gentry; also, a Greek aristocrat, a Roman patrician, etc.; ~ boren, ~ of birthe, a gentleman by birth; (b) in personal names.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)97a : Swa deð moni gentil mon þe is uncuð in uncuððe.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)33 : Þi felle..nis bot a sakke Ipudrid ful wiþ drit..Sire, whar of is þe gentilman Of eni oþer þan of þis?
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6618 : Gentil mon þat he vond in prison ek ydo, Oþer in warde mid vnriȝt, he boȝte hom out al so.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)10629 : Sir Richard fitz le rei..Gentil man was inou, þei he were abast ibore.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)190/20 : A riche ientilman [Vices & V.(2): gentel man] wes y-robbed of þieues.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1753 : Gentil men they were of greet estaat, And nothyng but for loue was this debaat.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.159 : Gentil men children [L filii nobilium] beeþ itauȝt to speke Frensche.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.155 : Þe gentil [vrr. jentyl, jantil] men were..wrooþ and slowȝ two hondred of þe peple..and þrewe hem in to Tyber.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.34 : The iuwes þat were gentil men, Ihesu þei dispised, Bothe his lore & his lawe; now ar þei lowe cherlis.
- (a1402) Trev.Dial.MC (Hrl 1900)25/1 : Wolde nouȝt alle gentel men & oþere nedy & wasters..turne to ȝoure & distrie al þat ȝe haueþ?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1389 : Many worthi knyȝte, And many squier, and many gentil man.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1854 : Rual folke..Shal han lordshipe..And cherles eke..When gentil-men slayn bene echone.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.48/23 : As he hadde be a gentill-mane of the kyngis blode.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)10 : Þei stelen mennus children, boþe gentyl mennus and pore, to make hem of here synguler ordre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)471 : Sqwyar, gentylmann: Armiger, scutifer.
- (1444) RParl.5.116b : That the Knyghtes of the Shires for the Parlement..be notable Knyghtes..other ellys such notable Squiers, Gentilmen of birth, of the same Shires as be able to be Knyghtes.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)27503 : He was..be his modyr, a gentyl man born.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.38 : He was gentilman bornne.
- c1450 Brut-1434 (Cmb Hh.6.9)443/21 : One Fenable, a Jentilman of Chestre, & Thomas Clement, a Draper of London, was dampnede atte Westmynster for treason.
- (1454) Paston (Gairdner)3.1 : They talkyd of j jantilman qweche is ward to my Lord.
- (1462) Paston (Gairdner)4.51 : The substaunce of jentilmen and yemen of Lodyngland be assygned to be afore the seyd commesyoners.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1196/15 : On every courser sate a yonge jantylman.
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)p.121 : Whanne Adam dalfe & Eve spanne, ho was þo a gentelman [L generosus].
- c1450(a1375) Octav.(2) (Clg A.2)848 : Þys chyld þou neuer begate; He was som gentylmannes beȝete.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)416 : Thou arte a Gentilman on thy Fadres syde, but thy modre was a strumpet.
b
- (1222) Domesday Bk.St.Paul in Camd.6980 : Adam gentilman [tenet] dimidiam acram pro iij d.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2331 : Johannes Gentilman.
- (1309-10) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.996 : Willelmo Gentilman et filio suo.
- (1311) Court R.Colchester 146 : John Gentilman.
- (1392) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.100339 : Johannes Gentilman.
- (1416) Doc.in Riley Mem.Lond.638 : Thomas Bekeryng [of Bekeryng in the County of Lincoln], gentilman.
- (1433-4) Will York in Sur.Soc.3037 : Willelmo Hopton, gentilman, xxvj s. viij d. Willelmo Grene, gentilman, xxvj s. viij d. Johanni Feriby, yoman, unum equum.
- (1439) Will York in Sur.Soc.3070 : Ego Thomas Lyndley de Lyndley juxta Otteley, gentilman.
- (1442) Doc.Ireland in RS 69280 : Your ennemy..mad to be prisonet..Dauit Seman, jentilman.
- (1448-50) Grocer Lond.(Kingdon)307/18 : Robert Tylbyry, Jentilman.
- (1452) Doc.in Kingsford EHist.Lit.(CotR 2.23)364 : Johannes Polfford, nuper de London, armiger..Thomas Kent de London, gentyllman.
- (1468) Will York in Sur.Soc.45164 : Per Willelmum Vavasour, gentilman.
- (1469) Will Bury in Camd.4945 : I, Baldewyn Coksedge of Felsham, gentilman, beynge in holle mynde and good memorie, [etc.].
- a1525(?1471) Cov.Leet Bk.368 : Joh. Smyth, jantelmon.
- -?-(1425) Cart.Newminster in Sur.Soc.66190 : Ego Johannes de Mitforde..de Mitforth in comitatu Northumbriæ, gentilman, dedi, [etc.].
1b.
(a) In phrases: gret (smal) ~, a great (lesser) noble; ~ of armes, a knight; ?also, a man entitled to a coat of arms; (b) a nobleman in attendance upon a king, lord, or bishop; ~ of the kinges (erles) houshold; (c) ~ bedel; ~ marshal; ~ page; ~ sergeant; ~ usher; (d) gentilmen(nes shetes, sheets for a nobleman's bed.
Associated quotations
a
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1264 : Tak hede now of this grete gentil-man, This Troyan..That feyneth hym so trewe and obeysynge, So gentil.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)4/19 : We be the childre bot of small gentylmen.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)12/16 : Merlyn..counceilled hym for to sende for all the lordes of the reame and alle the gentilmen of armes.
- a1486 Jousts of Peace (Mrg M 775)39 : We yeve in knowlache un to all Gentill men of name and of armus.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)406 : He was..a grete gentilman on his moder behalue, but of hys fader I sey yow no more.
b
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 4569 : To Ethered, my gentylman, I ȝyve a swerd and twenti hunderyd mark..I wyll that my gentylmen [L armigeri mei] and my ȝymen..thys thus departye.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)32/24 : Þe gentil-men of þe kynges householde and þe gentelmen of þe Erles householde of London after mete went in-fere forto playe.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.197r : Ayenst the maner and techyng of knyghthode the courtmen and jentilmen ete vp the cherles lyflode, fecchyng oute hure mete of whicches.
- (1449) RParl.5.157b : Gentilmen and Yomen of the moste honourable Houshold of the Kyng.
- (1463) Will Bury in Camd.4916 : To euery gentylman of my lord abbottes..a purs of silke and gold.
- (1473) RParl.6.93a : John Treboun, late oon of the Gentylmen of oure Chapell, of an annuytee of x li. yerely..for the goode and feithfull service which he dayly doth unto us.
c
- ?c1382 Survey Hatfield in Sur.Soc.3287 : Adae Gentilmanpage.
- (1432) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.p.xxviii : The Erle of Oxenford sent vj persones of his owen men, of the which oon was a Gentilman Marchall of the saide erles halle.
- (1448) Pet.Hen.VI in Archaeol.164 : They calle me noon othe 'wyse now among hem but yeman' Sergeant at armes by as mych as I have not my hole fees like as they have; And while my maister was alyve..they callid me Gentilman Sergeant.
- (c1456) Let.Oxf.in OHS 35336 : We schuld chese..John Andrew, servaunt un to Syr Edmund Hamden..to the offyce of the gentylman bedle of youre universite.
- (1464) Acc.Howard in RC 57277 : To ij of the gentelmen hoscheres, vj s. viij d.
d
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 224 : A pair of litel shetis of reynes of ij leues..a paire of gentilmennys shetis of þe largest assise of iij leuys.
- (1445) Will York in Sur.Soc.30156 : ij peir of gentilmenshets and a gode matres.
2.
A member of the nobility whose behavior conforms to the ideals of chivalry and Christianity, a gentleman; ?also, a person of humble birth distinguished for moral or spiritual excellence.
Associated quotations
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)134/671 : Hic ne sige nout bi-þan þat moni ne be gentile man; þuru wis lore & genteleri he amendit huge companie.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2831 : He sholde nat be called a gentil man that..ne dooth his diligence..to kepen his goode name.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2275 : Resonable entencion..Wherof a man the vice eschuieth..and vertu suieth, That is a verrai gentil man.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)19.40 : Þo þat bicome crysten..Aren frankeleynes, fre men þorw fullyng þat þei toke, And gentel men with ihesu, for Ihesus was yfolled.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2197 : Though he be not gentill born..he is gentil by cause he doth As longeth to a gentilman.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1068 : The queen..saw the man, that he was lyk a knyght..And lyk to been a verray gentil man; And wel his wordes he besette can.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)502 : So jolyly those gentille mene justede one were!
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)5074 : But I doo as I best can, Count me neuer elles for gentilman.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)277/169 : Ther schall a gentilman, Jesu, vn-justely be juged Byfore thy husband.
- c1450 My ladyes (Frf 16)142 : Therto han ye suche beneuolence With euery jantylman to speke and deylle In honeste.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)375/5 : He lett ordayne a jantyllman that was well lerned and taught, and his name was Governayle; and than he sente yonge Tristrams with Governayle into Fraunce to lerne the langage and nurture and dedis of armys.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)842 : Greet schame hyt wer..For to dampny þat gantylman þat haþ be hende and fre.
- a1500 Little Child.Bk.(1) (Adv 19.3.1)96 : And bare the so thow haue no blame; Than men wylle say therafter That a gentylleman was heere.
- ?a1500 In whom (Sln 775)p.252 : Trauthe, pettee, fredome and hardynesse..Off thisse virtues iiij who lakkyth iij, He aught never gentylmane called to be.
- a1500 St.Anne(3) (Tan 407)24 : Mari..þat was weddyd aftyrward throur goddes grace to joseph, a gentylman of name and of fame.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)82/26 : By fortune they were lodged with a jantilman.
Note: Additional quote(s)