Middle English Dictionary Entry
ǧentrī(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ǧentrī(e n. Also genterie, gentirie, ientrie & gentrẹ̄, gentire. |
| Etymology | OF genterie |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Nobility of birth or rank, noble birth or rank; ~ of auncestrie (blod, bodi); (b) noble persons, gentry.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)41/4 : Seint Bernard born was..Of wondur noble kinred, Of gentrie and of goodhed.
- c1390 In worschupe (Vrn)100 : I wolde wite, whon þat Eue gon spinne, Bi whom þat ȝoure gentrie stod?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.461 : Eke for to pride hym of his gentrie [vrr. genterye, gentire, gentre] is ful gret folie, for ofte tyme the gentrie of the body bynymeth, [etc.].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1152 : He that wol han prys of his gentrye, For he was born of a gentil hous..And nyl hym seluen do no gentil dedis..He nys nat gentil, be he duc or erl.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)669 : Gentyl men, for grete gentry, wene þat grete oþys beyn curteysy.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)980 : Chastise þi hert, madame! To swilk a lady it es grete shame Þus to wepe..Think opon þi grete gentri.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)190 : Gentry of awncetrye: Ingenuitas.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)36a : Þey beeþ most worschepful..in gentry of blood, in kunnynge of lettrure.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)85/36 : Non is riȝt gentel and noble of gentrie of body.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)87/21 : Ȝit þei auaunten hem of here gentrie, for þei weneþ þat þei be of gentel cley.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(LdMisc 559)2227 : 'Telle me, Gentilnesse, what hit may be' 'Gentrye [vrr. Gentilnesse, Gentilrie] thenne is power and richesse that a man hase here of londe, of rente, and of ffee, and comyn is of antiquite, and who that hathe for to dispende for moste gentyll is he kende.'
b
- a1525 Conq.Irel.(Dub 592)100/18 : Other of the selue gentrye..whych hyt war stronge to namen al by nam.
2.
(a) Nobility of character or manners; generosity, kindness, magnanimity, etc.; courtesy, graciousness, etc.; laue of ~, the code of chivalry; (b) of a lion: nobleness, magnanimity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)183 : Wheþer gentrie tauȝt hire so or nouȝt, I con not telle ȝou.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.462 : O manere gentrye [vrr. genterye, gentirie, gentre] is for preise that apparailleth mannes corage with vertues and moralitees and maketh hym Cristes child.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.1146 : Here may ye se wel how that genterye Is nat annexed to possessioun.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)73b/b : Also þis name 'lord' is a name of ientrie & of noblete..ffor lordis schal be noble & gentil of herte, of fleisch, of þouȝt.
- c1400 *PPl.C (Trin-C R.3.14)[21.21] f.58a : Ihesus of his ientrie shal iuste in piers armes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1071 : He schulde of vs resseived by Lyche as it longeth vn-to genterie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2954 : Allas, þat sche was so debonaire For to trust vppon his curtesye, Or to quite hir, of hir genterie, So hastely to rewe vp-on his smerte.
- (c1422) Hoccl.JWife (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)684 : The ladyes..Were ful glad, & of hir genterie, Receyued hire.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3271 : Sir knight, for þi gentry, I pray þe, have of me mercy.
- ?c1430 Wycl.Tract AMaria (Corp-C 296)205 : Sumtyme curtesie & genterie was vertuouse lif & honest..but now it is turned in-to vanyte & nysete.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1291 : Worldli poweer..Erthli tresour..Be no menys vnto gentrie..Deeme no man gentil but onli bi his deede.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)190 : Gentry: Generositas. Gentry of norture and maners: Comitas.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)8462 : Crystys seruage ys grettest genterye.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)9167 : They preyden hem, of gentrye, the sothe to seyne.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2639 : Lat vs mollifie Our hertes stout to his genterie, And of his pees requiren hym & preye.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)5992 : Of hir ovne gentrye, She made me to sytte a-doun.
- a1475 Against Lollards (Vsp B.16)126 : What dome wold ye hym deuyse by lawe of armes or gentrie?
- c1475(?a1449) ?Lydg.7 Counsels (Trin-C R.3.21)61 : Curtesy..And her sustyr..Nurture, By þeyr offyce longyng to gentry, [etc.].
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)205/6 : For þis lord seȝ her ful of al swetenes and gentre, he had gret lyst forto here her speke.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)163/35 : Gentrie wolde that the kynge to estraungeris..bettyr chere sholde make.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)12/211 : Mercy and socour..for thy genterye! Thus cowardly let me nat dye.
b
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)380 : For lo, the gentyl kynde of the lyoun..of his genterye, Hym deyneth nat to wreke hym on a flye, As doth a curre.
3.
(a) A noble or gracious act, a polite or courteous act; don ~; a polite subject of conversation; (b) a fashion or custom of the nobility, a polite fashion.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.601 : What seye we eek of hem that..holden it a gentrie or a manly dede to swere grete othes?
- a1450 The grete god (Gar 143)36 : In company ȝif þat þou be Þer men speketh vilany..turne þe, And þan dost þou a gret gentri..For godis loue do cortesi, And euer fond to say þe best.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)1016 : Whan God the world be-gan, And after hadde makyd man And womman..To hem dyde suyche gentrye As to the I shal devyse.
- a1475 Lydg.CB (Lngl 258)356 : The gentylman talkythe of genterye; The cherl deliteth to speke of ribaudye.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Lamb 633)191/3 : Of this grette Ientrie alle men mervelith.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)13/230 : 'This yefte,' she sayde, 'is lefe to me, And thanke syr Mordure of his gentre.'
b
- ?c1350 Why werre (Peterh 104)p.24 : God almyȝt Iche tyme schal be swore, His yen, his fat, his nayles, His sowle is nowt forbore: That is now the gentry.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)154/7 : Þai late þaire nayles growe..all aboute þaire hend, and þat think þaim es..a grete gentry; And þe gentry [F noblesse] of wymmen þare es to hafe smale fete.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.655 : Gentilmen in youth be taught To swere grete othis, they sey for genterie; Euery boy weneth it be ennexed to curtesie.