| 释义 |
unˈgentle, a.
Forms: see un-1 and gentle a.
[un-1 7.]
†1. Of persons, their birth, family, etc.: Not gentle or belonging to a family of position; not distinguished by birth. Also absol. Obs.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. iv. (1868) 41 Som man haþ grete rycchesse, but he is ashamed of hys vngentil lynage. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 415 [He] putte adoun meny gentil men, and putte ungentil men in here stede. c1440Promp. Parv. 365/1 On-gentylle of kynne, ignobilis, degener. Ibid. 365/2 On-gentyl be fadyr, and moder, ybridus. 1486Bk. St. Albans, Her. A j, How gentilmen shall be knowyn from vngentill men. a1533Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) H viij, But for all he was not called vngentyll, nor infamed, nor traytour. 1594R. Ashley tr. Loys le Roy 56 b, Of noble, and vnnoble, of gentlemen, and vngentle. 1648Heylin Relat. & Observ. i. 23 Gentle or ungentle, I write to all. 1688R. Holme Armoury iii. 68/2 The Ungentle is bound..to keep silence whilst a Gentleman speaks.
2. Of persons: Not possessing the attributes or characteristics of good birth; unchivalrous; discourteous, unmannerly. Now somewhat arch.
1411–2Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 3300 He dredde hym..The peple hym wolde han for a proude man deemed, And vngentil. c1450J. Capgrave Life St. Aug. 44, I aspied wel þat I must chere men þat cam on-to me with mete and drynk, for if I ded not, I schuld be hald on-gentil. 1562Legh Armory Pref. ¶ iv, The second sort are vngentile gentlemen. 1593Marlowe Edw. II, iv. ii, Sith the vngentle king Of Fraunce refuseth to giue aide of armes To this distressed Queene his sister heere. 1653J. Taylor (Water P.) Short Relat. Long Journ. (1859) 22 Quoth I, I doubt I must bee necessitated to take up my lodging in the field: to which the said ungentle gentlewoman..gave me a finall answer, that I might if I would. 1688Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia ii, Belfond, thou art the most ungentle Knight alive. 1829Cunningham Brit. Paint. I. 344 They aided him in the resolution..of making his escape from such crushing patronage and ungentle company. 1872Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 738 Too well I know thee, ay—The most ungentle knight in Arthur's hall.
transf.1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xii. xxxvii. (Tollem. MS.), The lapwynke is ungentel [1535 most filthy] and unclene.
b. absol. and as n.
1562Legh Armory Pref. ¶ iij b, I beseche your honours, to dayne to be patrones of this my woorke, against the middle finger poyntinges of the vngentiles. Ibid., The first wherof are gentel vngentile.
c. Not appropriate to or befitting one of gentle birth or breeding.
1565Jewel Reply Harding (1611) 160 This seemeth to be a very simple argument, and a grosse vngentle opinion of the simplicity of the people. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 67 For nothing would she lenger there be stayd, Where so loose life, and so vngentle trade Was vsd of Knights and Ladies seeming gent. 1642Milton Apol. Smect. Wks. 1851 III. 270 Whereof not to be sensible,..argues both a grosse and shallow judgement, and withall an ungentle, and swainish breast. 1823Scott Quentin D. x, According to the rules of woodcraft, he held it ungentle to interfere with the game attacked by another hunter. 1861Meredith Evan Harrington xxx, They had seen her ungentle training in a dozen little instances.
3. Not gentle in action; rough, harsh, unkind, violent:
a. Of persons or disposition.
1509Fisher Funeral Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 307 Were not she an vnkinde and vngentyl moder? 1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iii. 202 The iudge that threatneth that he wil be vnappeasable to them that be to rigorous and ungentle. 1628Wither Brit. Rememb. ii. 1835 To travell farre, and finde Those prove ungentle, whom you hoped, kinde. 1693Dryden Ovid's Met. i. 876 Her Head to her ungentle Keeper bow'd, She strove to speak. 1763G. Colman Posth. Lett. (1820) 256 Pray hint this to him, but let him not be ungentle with Sterne. 1837H. Martineau Soc. in America III. 117 Men are ungentle, tyrannical. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 47 His temper, naturally ungentle, had been exasperated by his domestic vexations. 1872Calverley Fly Leaves (1903) 7 She had gone from the ken of ungentle men!
b. fig. Of things.
1551Robinson tr. More's Utopia i. (1895) 62 Moyses lawe, thoughe it were vngentle and sharpe,..punnyshed thefte by the purse, and not wyth deathe. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. i. 13 You haue..made vs doffe our easie Robes of Peace, To crush our old limbes in vngentle Steele. a1649Crashaw Carmen Deo Nostro, Mary Magd. xxvii, Such Teares the suffring Rose that's vext With ungentle flames does shed. 1812Byron Ch. Har. i. xxiii, Vain are the pleasaunces on earth supplied; Swept into wrecks anon by Time's ungentle tide!
c. Of actions, language, etc.
1603Dekker & Chettle Grissil 2022 Why must my babes beare this vngentle doome? 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Disc. iii. §15 When two seas meet, the billows contest in ungentle embraces. 1726Pope Odyss. xvii. 548 His shoulder⁓blade receiv'd th' ungentle shock. 1779Mirror No. 43 ⁋2 Every better feeling, warm and vivid; every ungentle one, repressed or overcome. 1846Keble Lyra Innoc. (1873) 180 Jesus in His babes abiding Shames our cold ungentle ways. 1890Doyle White Company xxviii, Taken aback at this ungentle speech,..Alleyne stood [etc.]. |