gentleman, gentil man, jentleman

[Eng. gentle, and man; Fr. gentilhomme; Ital. gen tiluomo.] 1. A man of gentle or high birth and good pos i tion. "Esquires and gentlemen are confounded together by Sir Coke, who observes, that every esquire is a gentleman, and a gentleman is defined to be one qui arm a ger it , who bears coat armor, the grant of which adds gen tility to a man's family."-Black stone: Commentaries, bk. i., ch. 12. 2. One who by education, occupation, or income holds a position above menial service. "I have land and money, my friends left me well, and I will be a gentleman whatsoever it cost me."-Ben Jon son: Every Man out of his Humor , i. 2. 3. A man of honor and high principles. "For what, I pray, is a gentleman , what properties hath he, what qualities are character is tical or peculiar to him, whereby he is distinguished from others and raised above the vulgar? are they not especially two, courage and courtesie? which he that wanteth is not otherwise than equivocally a gentleman, as an image or a carkase is a man."- Barrow , vol. iii., ser. 21. 4. A man of good breeding and politene . "As I am a gentleman, I credit him." Shakesp.: Richard II., iii. 3. 5. Used as a polite equivalent for man; as in the plural used in addre ing popular a emblies of men of any condition or character. 6. The servant or personal attendant of a man of rank. "Let be called before us That gentleman of Bucking ham's in person." Shakesp.: Henry VIII ., i. 2. Gentleman- at - Arms : One of a company of forty gentlemen, called esquires, whose duty it is to attend the sovereign to and from the chapel royal and on other occasions of solemnity; a gentleman pensioner.