gentleman
nounUS [ˈd͡ʒɛɾ̃.ɫ̩.mən] · /ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/
Etymology From Middle English gentilman, morphologically gentle + man, partial calque of Old French gentilhome.
1
Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man.
- I corralled the judge, and we started off across the fields, in no very mild state of fear of that gentleman's wife, whose vigilance was seldom relaxed.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
- As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish,[…]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get.[…]I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
1 more example
- She wanted to go see a movie called Gigi, which I was not too thrilled about. But being a gentleman, I bit my tongue and said, “Okay.”2011, Mike Pappas, Growing Up the Greek Way in the Big Apple, page 103:
2
Broadly, Polite, Term of address Any man.
- Please escort this gentleman to the gentlemen's room.
3
Historical A man of gentle but not noble birth, particularly a man of means (originally ownership of property) who does not work for a living but has no official status in a peerage; (UK law) an armigerous man ranking below a knight.
- Being a gentleman, Robert was entitled to shove other commoners into the gongpit but he still had to jump out of the way of the knights to avoid the same fate himself.
- And when their ſcattered armie is ſubdu’d: And you march on their ſlaughtered carkaſſes, Share equally the gold that bought their liues, And liue like Gentlmen in Perſea, […]c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
2 more examples
- But when Adam delued, and Eue ſpan, VVho was then a Gentleman?1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I:
- “[…] This is Mr. Churchill, who, as you are aware, is good enough to come to us for his diaconate, and, as we hope, for much longer; and being a gentleman of independent means, he declines to take any payment.” Saying this Walden rubbed his hands together and smiled contentedly.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
4
Derogatory An effeminate or oversophisticated man.
- Well, la-di-da, aren't you just a proper gentleman?
5
Derogatory, Historical, Sometimes, Usually An amateur or dabbler in any field, particularly those of independent means.
- Latrobe had extensive dealings with Jefferson, the most prominent gentleman-architect in the United States.2004, Mary N. Woods, “The First Professional: Benjamin Henry Latrobe”, in Keith L. Eggener, editor, American Architectural History: A Contemporary Reader, electronic edition, Routledge, →ISBN, page 119:
6
Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports An amateur player, particularly one whose wealth permits him to forego payment.
- Derived terms
45 terms
April gentleman, country gentleman, first gentleman, gent, gentleboy, gentleman about town, gentleman and scholar, gentleman-at-arms, gentleman-commoner, gentleman cow, gentleman farm, gentleman farmer, gentlemanhood, gentleman-in-waiting, gentlemanish, gentlemanism, gentlemanize, Gentleman Jim, gentlemanliness, gentlemanly, gentleman of leisure, gentleman of the back door, gentleman-pensioner, gentleman ranker, gentleman's bet, gentleman's C, gentleman scientist, gentleman's gentleman, gentlemanship, gentleman usher, gentlemen's agreement, gentlemen's club, gentlemen's room, gentlethem, ladies and gentlemen, leading gentleman, old gentleman, put the beggar on the gentleman, Reverend Gentleman, scholar and gentleman, second gentleman, temporary gentleman, transgentleman, ungentleman, walking gentleman- Related terms
- gentlewoman, gentlelady