Middle English Dictionary Entry
ǧentī̆lnes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ǧentī̆lnes(se n. Also gentelnasse, ientilnesse. |
| Etymology | From ǧentī̆l adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Nobility of rank or birth; (b) of animals or birds: excellence of breed or kind; (c) of fruit: excellence; of a bird: beauty, elegance.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28562 : Smale sinnes..comand of vr gentilnes, Als wreth þat scort, and sodenes..To lete þe poure in þair mister Stand to lang wit-vten answar, [etc.].
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Mk.(Petw 7)B.3441 : No wiȝt passed hure..in lynage ne oþer gentilnesse; Of þe kyngges blood of percy is she descended.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.154 : But for to speke now of gentilnesse, A man þat haþ his wittes resonable..may beholde how veyn a þing it esse..If any good in gentilnesse be, It is þat nature gentil men enclyneþ, As fro þe vertues and þe honeste Of þaire auncetres, þat þei noght forleyneth.
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Pars.(SeldArch B.14)I.585 : He seith hit cometh him of gentilnes of his auncetres.
- c1470 Chaucer CT.Pars.(Phys-L 388)I.452 : Gentilnesse [Heng: Goodes of body ben heele..genterie, franchise].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)54a : Gentilnes or gentryce:..Ingenuitas.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)99 : Gentilnesse ne richesse shall haue no power a-gein the wille of Ihesu criste.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)20 : Who that in doctryne faileth, litel his kynred or gentilnes profiteth or availith.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)53b/a : Þe scharpnes of brest in suche foules is token of boldnes and of gentilnes, so seiþ Isidir of a goshauk, [etc.].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)273a/a : The dewlappe..is a tokene of gentilnesse and nobilite in an oxe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)278a/a : Gentylnesse and nobilite of houndes and of bicches is yknowe by lengþe of face and..by brede of þe breste.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)290a/a : Þe leoun is in most gentilnesse & nobilite whanne his nekke and schuldres ben y-heled wiþ heer.
- c1430 Chaucer CT.Sq.(Cmb Gg.4.27)F.620 : As bryddys don that men in cage feede..No gentyllnesse of bloode may hem bynde.
c
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Sq.(Lnsd 851)F.426 : Þar nas neuer ȝit man..þat herd of suche anoþer [falcon] of fairnes, As wele of plumage as of gentilnes Of schap.
- c1450 Palladius (BodAdd A.369)3.875 : Plucke of the feble fruyte..and juce it then wol dresse It into thayme that are of gentilnesse.
2.
(a) Nobility of character or manners; generosity, kindness, graciousness, etc.; also, good breeding; (b) as a title of address: your ~; (c) a kind or gracious act; don ~ to, to be kind or generous to (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1045 : Where is manhood and gentilnesse..Whiche in a kyng to-gidre bothe two Schulde of custom han her restyng place?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1353 : Þe kyng anoon out of his se a-roos, Of gentilnes, in al þe haste he may.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2005 : For curteis and of faire maner, Well taught and full of gentilnesse, He must ben that shal me kysse.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3746 : Ther is no lady so hawteyn..That I nolde holde hir ungoodly For to refuse hym outterly..Graunte hym a kis, of gentilnesse!
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Ph.(Petw 7)C.54 : She spak, and alle her wordes..Sownynge in vertue and in gentelnasse.
- c1430 Chaucer TC (Cmb Gg.4.27)2.1268 : Cresseide..likede in fere His person, his aray, his lok, his chere, His goodli maner & his gentilnesse.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)34 : As veleny may not suffre ientylnesse, on the same wyse ientylnes in hym self may not suffre velany.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)175 : My lady is the verrey sours and welle Of beaute, lust, fredom, and gentilnesse.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10360 : Hade monhode hym meuyt..Or gentilnes iugget iustly his werkes [etc.].
- c1460 Chaucer TC (Hrl 1239)3.1414 : Hit was bysette in Ioye and besinesse Of al that sovneth in-to gentilnesse.
- (1461) Grant Arms in Hrl.Soc.77 (Add 14295)193 : The whiche signe and armes to have, use, & hold unto the said Wm Swayne & to the issue..of his boddy lawfullie begotten, in all Woorship and gentilness everlasting.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)93/19 : Y þanke ȝoure loue and ȝoure gentilnes, as y must nedis þanke for þis..fruytful teching.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.SPuer(1) (LdMisc 683)65 : Of gentilnesse, take salt with thy knyff [vr. klenly with a klene knyffe].
- c1475 Babies' Bk.(Hrl 5086)188 : From Iangelyng your tunge al-wey conserve, For so ywys yee shalle a name deserve Off gentylnesse and of goode governaunce.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1082 : His gentillnesse was all a-way; All churlysshe maners he had in wone.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)343 : He most mad that dooth his besynesse To teche a cherl termys of gentilnesse.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)5396 : Whanne the Sowdon hard..hough his doughter toke suche a hevynes, To hir chaumber he toke the redy way, As nature wold, and also gentilnes.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.4432 : Lowly beseching to ȝour gentilnes..Where ȝe fynde þat I fayle or erre, For to correcte.
- a1500(c1380) Chaucer Bal.Ch.(Benson-Robinson)20 : Whan that your gentilnesse Of my grete wo listeth don alleggeaunce.
c
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4605 : For though I dye..I praye Love..To Bialacoil do gentylnesse, For whom I lyve in such distresse.
- c1435 Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Sln 1685)F.1608 : Euere yche of you did gentilnesse to oþere.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3716 : To leve ȝewe in this plyte, it were no gentilnes.
3.
People of rank, gentry; also, a person of noble rank.
Associated quotations
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Cl.(NC 314)E.480 : Gentilnes [Heng: Vn to my gentils, ye be no thyng so].
- c1460 Chaucer CT.Mcp.(McC 181)H.217 : Gentelnesse is in [Heng: The gentile in estat aboue..shal be clepid his lady].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)80/2 : Wherefore I wolde desire of you, of your curtesy and of your jantilnesse, to fecche agayne that knyght othir by force othir by his good wylle.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)473/27 : Therefore, [for] youre noble dedys of armys, I shall shew to you kyndenes and jantilnes all that I may.
Note: Additional quote(s)
Note: Sense 2.(a)