Dictionary

gently en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈd͡ʒɛntli/
• (US) audio
• [ˈd͡ʒɛnli] (General-American)
• [ˈd͡ʒɛ̃ɾ̃li] (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English gentilly, gentlych, gentilliche, equivalent to gentle + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology.

Meanings

1. In a manner characterized by gentleness ▸ Without strong force or quickness: softly, lightly.
   • First, marinate the tofu. In a bowl, whisk the kecap manis, chilli sauce, and sesame oil together. Cut the tofu into strips about 1cm thick, mix gently (so it doesn't break) with the marinade and leave in the fridge for half an hour. 2012 May 8, Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, Random House, →ISBN, page 79:
   • The plane is travelling impossibly slowly – 30km an hour – when it gently noses up and leaves the ground. With air beneath them, the rangy wings seem to gain strength; the fuselage that on the ground seemed flimsy becomes elegant, like a crane vaunting in flight. It seems not to fly, though, so much as float. 2013 September 6, Tom Cheshire, “Solar-powered travel”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 13, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2023, page 34:
2. In a manner characterized by gentleness ▸ In a gentle manner; to a gentle degree.
   • From Blackwater there is a more or less level run through gently rolling farmlands and downs to Merstone, with its island platform and passing loop. 1946 July and August, K. Westcott Jones, “Isle of Wight Central Railway—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 243:
3. In a manner characterized by gentleness ▸ Quietly: without much noise or motion.
   • I look at the world, and I notice it's turning / While my guitar gently weeps / With every mistake, we must surely be learning / Still my guitar gently weeps 1968, George Harrison, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, performed by The Beatles:
4. (historical) From a gentle or high-class family.
   • gently born
5. (obsolete) In the manner of one of gentle birth; in a manner that reflects the traditional virtues of the gentry: courteously, nobly.

Forms

Antonyms

roughly

Deriveds

fuck me gently with a chainsaw · let someone down gently

Translations (59)

pra-mah 𑀈𑀲𑀻𑀲𑀺 (in a gentle manner) · es mansamente (in a gentle manner) · es cuidadosamente (in a gentle manner) · la lene (in a gentle manner) · pl łagodnie (in a gentle manner) · sv ömt (in a gentle manner) · bg внимателно (in a gentle manner) · es tiernamente (in a gentle manner) · ko 부드럽게 (in a gentle manner) · bg нежно (in a gentle manner) · sh њежно (in a gentle manner) · fa یواش (in a gentle manner) · ka წყნარად (in a gentle manner) · ca suaument (in a gentle manner) · la molliter (in a gentle manner) · gl suavemente (in a gentle manner) · pl delikatnie (in a gentle manner) · fi vienosti (in a gentle manner) · es gentilmente (in a gentle manner) · sh нежно (in a gentle manner) · mnc ᠰᡝᡵ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ (in a gentle manner) · es delicadamente (in a gentle manner) · ka ნაზად (in a gentle manner) · it soavemente (in a gentle manner) · uk ні́жно (in a gentle manner) · it sordamente (in a gentle manner) · sh nježno (in a gentle manner) · uk обере́жно (in a gentle manner) · ms perlahan (in a gentle manner) · de sanft (in a gentle manner) · it gentilmente (in a gentle manner) · pdt behutsom (in a gentle manner) · hy կամաց (in a gentle manner) · it blandamente (in a gentle manner) · ko 살포시 (in a gentle manner) · ja そっと (in a gentle manner) · nl zachtaardig (in a gentle manner) · fi hellävaraisesti (in a gentle manner) · pt gentilmente (in a gentle manner) · te నింపాదిగా (in a gentle manner) · it dolcemente (in a gentle manner) · nl zachtjes (in a gentle manner) · ru не́жно (in a gentle manner) · uk м'я́ко (in a gentle manner) · it delicatamente (in a gentle manner) · es suavemente (in a gentle manner) · eo milde (in a gentle manner) · ka მშვიდად (in a gentle manner) · hu finoman (in a gentle manner) · th เบา (in a gentle manner) · sh nežno (in a gentle manner) · nl voorzichtig (in a gentle manner) · la leniter (in a gentle manner) · tt әкрен (in a gentle manner) · izh veenost (in a gentle manner) · vi nhẹ nhàng (in a gentle manner) · fi lempeästi (in a gentle manner) · fi hellävaroen (in a gentle manner) · ka რბილად (in a gentle manner)