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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

GENTLE, adj., n. Sc. usages:

I. adj. ‡1. Well-born. Also used subst., sometimes with pl. sense. Obs. in liter. Eng. since 17th c. exc. in the arch. phr. gentle and simple.Sc. a.1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 165:
The oysters are a gentle kin, They winna tak unless you sing.Ayr. 1788 Burns My Highland Lassie i.:
Nae gentle dames, tho' ne'er sae fair, Shall ever be my Muse's care.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet, Letter xi.:
Maggie says ye're gentle, but a shilling maks a' the difference that Maggie kens, between a gentle and a simple.Rxb. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 265:
Where the gentle are leal, and the semple are weal.Abd. 1863 G. Macdonald D. Elginbrod iv.:
“Mak nae apologies, Janet, my woman”, said David, “A het pitawta's aye guid fare, for gentle or semple.”Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxviii.:
I'm sure there is na ane o' Simon's auld customers gentle or semple, that I dinna ken either by name or by sicht.Sc. 1896 A. Cheviot Proverbs 17:
A loving heart and a leal within Are better than gowd or gentle kin.

†2. Belonging to gentlefolk.Ayr. 1842 Children in Trades Report ii. 123:
She has eaten the bread (i.e. cake) she got in a “gentle” house over there.Sc. 1859 C. S. Graham Mystifications 59:
Gentle servants are no civil to poor folk when they come ill-dressed.

†3. Gentlemanly, genteel (of manners, dress, etc.).Mry. 1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 106:
His braw address an' gentle manner Spak' him nae blate.Abd. 1867 A. Allardyce Goodwife viii.:
An' Jock maun tine his gentle gates.Abd. c.1830 in G. Greig Mains's Wooin' (1909) 44:
If e'er it chance to be my lot To get a gallant bandster, I'll gar him wear a gentle coat, And bring him gowd in handfu's.

†4. High-spirited (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 102). The term, as applied to an animal = of excellent breed or spirit, has been obs. since 16th c. in Eng. exc. as applied to a falcon.

5. Combs.: (1) gentle Annie, (a) see quots.; (b) an effeminate man (Uls.⁴ 1954); †(2) gentle beggar, a poor relation; (3) gentle Janet, the wild orchis (Mry.¹ 1916); †(4) gentle persuasion, a name given to the Episcopalian denomination, so called because adhered to by many “gentlefolk” (Bnff.⁴ 1927); †(5) gentle traffic, a humorous term applied to smuggling; cf. free trade, id., s.v. Free, IV.; †(6) gentlewoman, “the designation formerly given to the house-keeper in a family of distinction” (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.).(1) (a) Rs. 1911 Celtic Rev. VII. 341:
The Cromarty fisher-people refer to the spring equinox as “Gentle Annie weather” . . . which lasts sometimes for six weeks. “Gentle Annie” is without doubt the Hag of the south-west wind. After she has spent her fury good weather ensues. “We'll have to be keeping a shilling or twa beside us for the time o' Gentle Annie”, say the fisherwomen. Waves flecked with white foam are “the feather in Gentle Annie's hat.”Crm. 1916 T.S.D.C. II.:
In Cromarty, in the beginning of May, a wind blows that prevents the boats going to the fishing, hence causing a good deal of privation. This period goes by the name of “Gentle Annie”. “Pit a saxpence in thee pooch for Gentle Annie”, is the local equivalent for “put something by for a rainy day.”(2) Sc. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's W. xxxv.:
We are — what they used to call it in Scotland — gentle beggars — creatures to whom our second and third, and fourth, and fifth cousins, may, if they please, give a place at the side-table, and a seat in the carriage with the lady's maid.(4) Abd. 1778 J. B. Pratt J. Fleeman (1861) 71, Foot-note:
One . . . who resided in Kinmundy at the time, says Fleeman's last words were, “I'm of the gentle persuasion, — dinna bury me like a beast.”Abd. 1895 J. M. Cobban King of Andaman xiv.:
I was forgettin' ye're something o' a Papist yoursel', being o' the gentle persuasion.(5) Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders v.:
Then I minded that the Maxwells of Craigdarroch . . . and even the dour Cameronian father, were said to be deeper in the Gentle Traffic, as it was called, than any others in the locality.(6) Abd. a.1825 Earl o' Aboyne in P. Buchan Gleanings 72:
She called on Kate her cham'er maid, An' Jean, her gentlewoman.

†II. n. One of gentle birth. Obs. since 18th c. in liter. Eng. and since then used only in pl. as an archaism or as a comic vulgarism for gentlefolk.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 13:
Praise frae sik gentles never decks My Muse or me.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. vi.:
And there were as mony puir folk riving at the banes in the court, and about the door, as there were gentles in the ha'.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie 43:
While baith far and near, For the auld bodie's gear, E'en gentles to parties hae sought her.Ayr. 1845 Ayrshire Wreath 60:
Here's a gentle comin'.Fif. 1882 “S. Tytler” Sc. Marriages I. v.:
I was brocht here to . . . put you on the richt road to behaving like ane o' the gentles.ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 84:
Weel, he didna tell me that, But he's buskit like a gentle, An' his shawlt is sleek an' fat.