| 释义 |
gentlefolk, -folks|ˈdʒɛnt(ə)lfəʊk, -fəʊks|
[f. as gentle a. + folk. The sing. first appears in this cent.; earlier writers use the pl. folks.]
Persons of good position and family.
1594Shakes. Rich. III, i. i. 95 The Queene's Kindred are made gentle Folkes. a1732Gay Wks. (1745) I. 236 When gentle-folks their sweethearts leave behind They can write letters. 1787M. Cutler in Life, Jrnls. & Corr. (1888) I. 288 Freeman and his wife seem to be what we call in our country [New England] very great Gentlefolks. 1848Thackeray Lett. 1 Aug., Many hundreds of gentle-folks of all nations were congregated in the public walk. 1867Trollope Chron. Barset I. ix. 78 The neglected children, who are learning not to be the children of gentlefolk. 1897Atlantic Mag. LXXIX. 136 Her people are eighteenth century gentle-folk.
Proverb.1897Pall Mall Mag. Aug. 523 So it was a case of ‘Compliments fly when gentlefolk meet’. |