gentil adj.

2022-09-02 gentil

TR1.1079 Fŏr hé bĭcóm thĕ fréndlĭéstĕ wíght,
TR1.1080 Thĕ géntĭlést, ănd ék thĕ móostĕ fré,
TR1.1081 Thĕ thríftĭést, ănd óon thĕ béstĕ knýght
TR1.1082 Thăt ín hĭs týmĕ wás ŏr mýghtĕ bé;
TR1.1083 Déde wĕre hĭs jápĕs ánd hĭs crúĕlté,
TR1.1084 Hĭs héighĕ pórt ănd hís mănére ĕstráungĕ,
TR1.1085 Ănd écch ŏf thó găn fór ă vértŭ cháungĕ.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): For he becomes the friendliest person, the noblest and also the most generous, the most admirable, and the very best knight that there was or could be in his time. Gone were his jokes and his cruelty, his lofty bearing and distant manner, and each of those changed into a virtue.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 何しろ彼は、彼の時代はいうに及ばず、累代のうちで最も優しい人になり、最も高貴で、最も寛大で、最も立派な人になり、とりわけ最高の騎士になって、冗談も、残酷無比もなくなり、高慢な態度も、よそよそしさもなくなり、それらの欠点はどれもこれも徳に変わったからだ。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 他成为一个最和蔼、大方、明察的人，是当时惟一的好武士。他的冷嘲热骂再也听不见了，他那傲慢的态度也改了，每一种缺陷都变成了一种美德。

Word Information

Etymology: OF&L
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: frendlieste (friendly), mooste fre (free), thriftiest, best
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (male: Troilus)
Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: Not quoted

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 49): gentilest: noblest
Fisher (1989): N/A
Benson (1987): N/A
Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
Donaldson (1975): N/A
Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

noble, kind, gracious

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘best’ (adj., (sup.), Tr1.1081)