ungentle
English
Etymology
From un- + gentle.
Adjective
ungentle (comparative ungentler, superlative ungentlest)
- Showing a lack of gentleness, kindness or compassion.
- Synonyms: cruel, harsh, rough, unkind
- 1551, Ralph Robinson (translator), Utopia by Thomas More, London: Abraham Vele, Book 1,
- […] Moyses lawe, thoughe it were vngentle and sharpe […] yet it punnyshed thefte by the purse, and not wyth deathe.
- c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene i]:
- You have […] made us doff our easy robes of peace,
To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel:
- 1770, Francis Gentleman, The Dramatic Censor, London: J. Bell, Volume 2, p. 110,
- […] a well-conceived squabble arises, and very ungentle terms ensue:
- 1848, Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, London: T. C. Newby, Volume 2, Chapter , p. 253,
- At length, however, the boisterous pastime terminated—suddenly, as might be expected: the little one was hurt and began to cry; and its ungentle playfellow tossed it into its mother’s lap, bidding her “make all straight.”
- 1922 April, Paul Rosenfeld, “The Water-Colours of John Marin: A Note on the Work of the First American Painter of the Day”, in John Peale Bishop, editor, Vanity Fair, volume 18, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Vanity Fair Publishing Company, OCLC 423870134, page 48, column 2:
- About John Marin, there move sad, disgruntled beings, full of talk and lamentations. [...] They bewail the fact that in America, soil is poor and unconducive to growth, and men remain unmoved by growing green. But Marin persists, and what ebullience and good humour, in the rocky ungentle loam?
- 1993, Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy, New York: HarperCollins, Chapter 12.16, p. 805,
- ‘Dagh Sahib, a woman by herself—what place can she find in an ungentle world?’
- (obsolete) Not acting according to accepted ethics or standards of behaviour.
- Synonyms: base, villainous, wicked
- 1548, Edward Hall, The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and Yorke, London: Richard Grafton, King Henry VI, year 15, p. 135,
- […] this vngentle prince, and forgetfull frend, puttyng in obliuion, bothe the dutie of his obeysaunce, toward his souereigne and liege lorde, and the oth and promise, that he made to kyng Henry, […] turned his backe to his frend and kynsman, and loked to the French part, whiche neuer did hym honor nor profite,
- 1579, Anthony Munday, The Mirrour of Mutabilitie, London: John Allde, Book 2,
- What more deceit? then look thy Fréend in face:
- And woork his death, in most vngentle case.
- 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene ii]:
- Ungentle queen, to call him gentle Suffolk!
No more, I say: if thou dost plead for him,
Thou wilt but add increase unto my wrath.
- 1629, John Ford, The Lover’s Melancholy, London: H. Seile, Act III, Scene 1, p. 42,
- I will reward thee:
- But as for him, vngentle Boy, Ile whip
- His falshood with a vengeance.
Derived terms
- ungentleness
- ungently
Translations
not gentle
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