the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > treat gently (3)
To deal gently with; to avoid overtasking (a limb); to ease, save, spare. Now colloquial (esp. in stable parlance) and dialect.
transitive. To treat or use (a thing) gently or carefully, esp. excessively so; to handle gingerly.