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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GENTIE, adj., adv. Also genty, †jenty. [′dʒɛnti]

‡1. Neat, dainty, graceful (Mry.¹ 1925; Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson; Abd., Fif. 1954). Gen. used of persons, “esp. of elderly and rather frail ladies” (Ags. 1954, rare). Also adv. Hence gentily, adv. (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 243).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.H.S.) I. 50:
White is her Neck, saft is her Hand, Her Waste and Feet's fow genty.Ayr. 1790 Burns Young Jockie ii.:
He roos'd my een sae bonie blue, He roos'd my waist sae genty sma'.Abd. 1801 W. Beattie Parings 3:
An' lads, an' lasses dress fu' genty, To play at prins.Per. 1816 J. Duff Poems 172:
I've a butt an' ben fu' gentie.Sc. c.1824 Lady Nairne Songs (1905) 182:
And the leddy too, sae genty, There shelter'd Scotland's heir.Fif. 1897 “S. Tytler” Lady J.'s Son xiii.:
Wha but you, Mistress Jeanie, has twa strings to your bow, and you so young and genty and canny?Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo ii.:
Everything aboot her was genty and denty, frae the sole o' her wee shae to the croon o' her grey heid.Dmf. 1939 Border Mag. (Aug.) 115:
And in yon bracken bieldit neuk The genty bluebells springin'.Fif. 1985 Tom Hubbard in Joy Hendry Chapman 40 30:
There in thon fremmit grun they howk
Neath trees whase gentie leaves pynt doun
Tae kythin o their courss beginnins:

2. Genteel; courteous, well-bred (Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 250; Abd., Fif. 1954); noble. Also in Cum. dial.Dmf. 1732 Bk. Caerlaverock (Fraser 1873) II. 364:
It was scarcely possible for me to answer your jenty letter sooner.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lx.:
Their mother was ay a genty bodie, though, in a sense, mair for ornament than use.Lth. 1882 “J. Strathesk” Blinkbonny 217:
I'm no used wi' such genty manners.Dmf. 1894 R. Reid Poems 86:
The heart where Freedom's genty spark Burnt wi' a cheery lowe.Kcb. 1912 G. M. Gordon Clay Biggin' 79:
A kind o' genty look aboot her, a' thegither different frae their ither weans.Mry. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 54:
I gae nae tent tae genty gash.

Hence gentiness, gentility, genteel manners. Also in 17th c. Eng.Lth. 1885 “J. Strathesk” Blinkbonny 174:
She . . . still retained some of the “gentiness” of the town-bred lady.

†3. Of dress: tasteful, “denoting that a thing is neat, has a lightness of pattern, and gives the idea of gentility” (Jam.²).Sc. 1814 C. I. Johnstone Saxon & Gael II. 154:
“A fell genty thing that”, and she rubbed Rosabell's gown between her fingers. “I'll warran it will wash to the last.”Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums xi.:
His claes are genty drab.