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The quality or state of being gentle, well-born, mild, benevolent, docile, etc.; gentility; softness of manners, disposition, etc.; mildness.

respect to situation, climate, manners, or disposition; pleasantness; civility; suavity; gentleness. A sweetness and amenity of temper. Buckle. This climate has not seduced by its amenities. W. Howitt.

ts of arms, intended to represent silver, or, figuratively, purity, innocence, beauty, or gentleness; -- represented in engraving by a plain white surface. Weale.

Exhibiting or manifesting kindness, gentleness, favor, etc.; mild; kindly; salutary; wholesome. Kind influences and benign aspects. South.

Mildness; gentleness. The benignity or inclemency of the season. Spectator.

Disposition to forgive and spare, as offenders; mildness of temper; gentleness; tenderness; mercy. Great clemency and tender zeal toward their subjects. Stowe. They had applied for the royal clemency. Macaulay.

Characterized by courteousness, affability, or gentleness; of good appearance and manners; graceful; complaisant. Was never prince so meek and debonair. Spenser.

The quality of being debonair; good humor; gentleness; courtesy. Sterne.

Gentleness and sweetness of manner; agreeableness. Chesterfield.

In a good sense, tenderness of feeling; gentleness. There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart. Cowper.

Gentleness; courtesy; kindness; nobility. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Gentilesse; gentleness. [Obs.]

Proceeding from, or characterized by, goodness, gentleness, or benevolence; as, a kind act. "Manners so kind, yet stately." Tennyson.

The quality or state of being kindly; benignity; benevolence; gentleness; tenderness; as, kindliness of disposition, of treatment, or of words. In kind a father, but not in kindliness. Sackville.

The state or quality of being lenient; mildness of temper or disposition; gentleness of treatment; softness; tenderness; clemency; -- opposed to severity and rigor. His exceeding lenity disposes us to be somewhat too severe. Macaulay.

The quality of being maidenly; the behavior that becomes a maid; modesty; gentleness.

Tameness; gentleness; mildness. [Archaic]

To make meek; to nurture in gentleness and humility. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Hence, figuratively, lacking refinement, gentleness, or polish. Specifically:

Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Prov. xv. 1. A face with gladness overspread, Soft smiles, by human kindness bred. Wordsworth.