Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Gentle, adj. (compar. “--r:” Shr. I, 1, 60. Wint. IV, 4, 93. H5 III, 6, 119. IV, 5, 15. H6A III, 2, 135. V, 4, 8. Cor. III, 1, 55. Rom. III, 3, 10. Oth. IV, 3, 11. Superl. “--st:” Per. III, 3, 37). 1) well born, well descended, noble: “should tyrant folly lurk in g. breasts,” Lucr. 851. “our parents' noble names, in whose success we are g.” Wint. I, 2, 394. “we marry a --r scion to the wildest stock,” IV, 4, 93. “mean and g. all,” H5 IV Chor. H5 IV Chor. “a slave, no --r than my dog,” IV, 5, 15. “to boast of g. blood,” H6A IV, 1, 44. “I am descended of a --r blood,” V, 4, 8. “there's many a g. person made a Jack,” R3 I, 3, 73. “he was g., but unfortunate,” Cymb. IV, 2, 39. “came of a g. kind,” Per. V, 1, 68.
2) amiable, lovely, full of endearing qualities: “the g. lark mounts up on high,” Ven. 853. “what thinkest thou of the g. Proteus?” Gentl. I, 2, 14. “whom your g. daughter hates,” III, 1, 14. “she is pretty, and honest, and g.” Wiv. I, 4, 149. “I hope it some pardon for the most g. Claudio,” Meas. IV, 2, 75. “let me bail these g. three,” V, 362. “the g. day,” Ado V, 3, 25. “he's g.” As I, 1, 172. “I love the g. Desdemona,” Oth. I, 2, 25 etc. Very often in compellations, == good, dear, sweet: “I thank you, g. servant,” Gentl. II, 1, 114. “have patience, g. Julia,” II, 2, 1. II, 4, 136. II, 7, 1. II, 7, 1 IV, 2, 19. IV, 4, 178. V, 4, 12. Wiv. I, 3, 313. Meas. I, 4, 7. II, 2, 143. II, 4, 139. V, 433. Err. III, 2, 25 etc. etc.
Substantively: “g. and fair,” Meas. I, 4, 24. “be merry, g.” Wint. IV, 4, 46. “g., hear me,” Ant. IV, 15, 47.
3) kind: “the rough beast that knows no g. right,” Lucr. 545. “let beasts bear g. minds,” Lucr. 545 “giving g. doom,” Sonn. 145, 7. 41, 5. Tp. I, 2, 468. III, 1, 8. Epil. III, 1, 8 Gent. III, 1, 31. V, 4, 55. Meas. IV, 2, 89. Err. III, 1, 110. III, 2, 165. IV, 4, 158. LLL V, 2, 632. As I, 1, 48. Shr. I, 1, 60. II, 244. IV, 3, 71. Tw. IV, 2, 37. John IV, 3, 13. H5 III, 6, 119. H6A III, 2, 135. Cor. III, 1, 55. Rom. III, 3, 10. Mcb. IV, 3, 231. Oth. IV, 1, 204. IV, 3, 11. Ant. V, 2, 58 etc. With to: “be g. to her,” Ant. V, 2, 68.
4) soft, tender, meek, bland, opposed to wild, rough and harsh: “whose g. wind shall cool the heat,” Ven. 189; cf. Lucr. 549. H6C II, 6, 21. Per. III, 3, 37. “a g. flood,” Lucr. 1118; cf. Gent. II, 7, 25. Gent. II, 7, 25 H4A I, 3, 98. “it droppeth as the g. rain from heaven,” Merch. IV, 1, 185. “he trots with g. majesty,” Ven. 278; cf. “with g. gait,” Sonn. 128, 11. “a g. kiss,” Gentl. II, 7, 29. “touching but my g. vessel's side,” Merch. I, 1, 32. “conducted to a g. bath,” Cor. I, 6, 63. “you would not use a g. lady so,” Mids. III, 2, 152. “will you tear impatient answers from my g. tongue,” Mids. III, 2, 152 “as g. and as jocund as to jest go I to fight,” R2 I, 3, 95 (== meek, tranquil). “the g. Archbishop of York is up,” H4B I, 1, 189 (== meek, peaceable).
5) not violent, harmless: “it is no g. chase,” Ven. 883. “a g. riddance,” Merch. II, 7, 78. “to g. exercise and proof of arms,” H4A V, 2, 55. “with g. travail,” H8 V, 1, 71. Hence == tame: “she was old and g.” H5 III, 7, 55. “to make them g.” H8 V, 3, 22. “the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our g. senses,” Mcb. I, 6, 3 (our senses which become gentle and kind by its influence. See Prolepsis in Appendix).
Adverbial use: “as g. tell me,” Troil. IV, 5, 287 (Q but g.). “every time --r than other,” Caes. I, 2, 230. “how calm and g. I proceeded,” Ant. V, 1, 75.