gentleman

• n. 先生；紳士；有身分的人
• n. (Gentleman)人名；(英)金特爾曼

來自詞根gen, 生育，詞源同generate. 原指出生高貴的，優雅的，後指紳士。

gentleman (n.)

c. 1200, perhaps mid-12c., "well-born man, man of good family or birth," also extended to Roman patricians and ancient Greek aristocrats, from gentle + man (n.); the compound probably is modeled on Old French gentilhomme (the English gentleman itself was borrowed into French in 18c.).

Given specific uses in late Middle English (small gentleman, gentleman-of-arms, gentleman-usher, etc.), hence in England the word often meant any man above the social rank of a yeoman, including the nobility, but it was sometimes restricted to those who bear a coat of arms but not a title; in U.S., "man of property, not engaged in business or a profession" (1789). The English word from the beginning also had a special sense "nobleman whose behavior conforms to the ideals of chivalry and Christianity," and gentleman came to be used loosely for any man of good breeding, courtesy, kindness, honor, strict regard for the feelings of others, etc.

The Gentleman is always truthful and sincere; will not agree for the sake of complaisance or out of weakness ; will not pass over that of which he disapproves. He has a clear soul, and a fearless, straightforward tongue. On the other hand he is not blunt and rude. His truth is courteous; his courtesy, truthful; never a humbug, yet, where he truthfully can, he prefers to say pleasant things. [J.R. Vernon, "Contemporary Review," 1869]

Eventually, in polite use, it came to mean a man in general, regardless of social standing. Related: Gentlemen. Gentleman's agreement is first attested 1929. Gentleman farmer recorded from 1749, "A man of means who farms on a large scale, employs hands, and does little or none of the work himself" [Craigie, "Dictionary of American English"].

1. A gentleman should always be civil, even to his inferiors.

紳士應該總是彬彬有禮,即便是對地位不及自己者.

來自柯林斯例句

2. The gentleman, despite his advanced years, helped Kathryn back to her seat.

這位紳士，盡管年事已高，仍然幫著凱瑟琳回到座位上。

來自柯林斯例句

3. I got this phone call from a gentleman, who seemed sincere enough.

這個電話是一位紳士打來的，他似乎非常誠懇。

來自柯林斯例句

4. The image of art theft as a gentleman's crime is outdated.

把盜竊藝術品看作是一種紳士犯罪的觀念已經過時了。

來自柯林斯例句

5. We had no contract; it was done by a gentleman's agreement.

我們沒有簽合同，就訂了個君子協定。

來自柯林斯例句