gnädigadj.
The first element in the German courteous forms of address or reference gnädige Frau, gnädiger Herr, gnädiges Fräulein: used in representations of German speech.
ΚΠ
1892 C. M. Yonge That Stick II. xxiv. 22 His nurse..had much to say of the goodness of die Gnädigen Frauen.
1904 E. von Arnim Adventures of Elizabeth in Rügen 60 He had addressed me as gnädiges Fräulein, and what mother of a growing family does not like that?
1910 W. J. Locke Simon the Jester xxiii. 331 She must have been thinking of something else when she grabbed him, gnädiger Herr.
1930 G. Greene Name of Action ii. ix. 266 If the gnädige Frau was dissatisfied, she would have a fire lit.
1946 P. Bottome Lifeline xxiv. 198 I would shoot him myself—but..better the Gnädiger Herr should do it.
1980 W. Abish How German is It? iii. xii. 104 Gnädige Frau, please forgive me, said the maid.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1993; most recently modified version published online June 2020).
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adj.1892