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Gentle vs Maidenlike - What's the difference?

gentle | maidenlike |

As adjectives the difference between gentle and maidenlike

is that gentle is tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition while maidenlike is like a maiden; gentle, demure.

As a verb gentle

is to become gentle.

As a noun gentle

is a person of high birth.

gentle

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition.
  • Soft and mild rather than hard or severe.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
  • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=3 citation , passage=Here the stripped panelling was warmly gold and the pictures, mostly of the English school, were mellow and gentle in the afternoon light.}}
  • Docile and easily managed.
  • a gentle horse
  • Gradual rather than steep or sudden.
  • Polite and respectful rather than rude.
  • (archaic) Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble.
  • * Johnson's Cyc.
  • British society is divided into nobility, gentry, and yeomanry, and families are either noble, gentle , or simple.
  • * Milton
  • the studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time

    Synonyms

    * (polite) friendly, kind, polite, respectful

    Antonyms

    * (polite) rude

    Derived terms

    * gentle craft * gentleness * gentleman * gentlewoman * gently

    Verb

    (gentl)
  • to become gentle (rfex)
  • to ennoble (rfex)
  • (animal husbandry) to break; to tame; to domesticate (rfex)
  • To soothe; to calm. (rfex)
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A person of high birth.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Gentles , methinks you frown.
  • (archaic) A maggot used as bait by anglers (rfex)
  • A trained falcon, or falcon-gentil.
  • maidenlike

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Like a maiden; gentle, demure.
  • *, II.15:
  • *:Whereto serves this mayden-like bashfulnessebut to increase a desire and endeare a longing in us to vanquish, to gourmandize, and at our pleasure to dispose all this squeamish ceremonie, and all these peevish obstacles?
  • *1820 , (Walter Scott), The Abbot :
  • *:But on half a minute's reflection, the damsel changed totally her attitude and manner, folded her cloak around her arms in modest and maidenlike fashion, and walked of her own accord to the presence of the great man.
  • Synonyms

    * maidenly