gently
/ˈdʒɛntli
/adverb
1With a mild, kind, or tender manner: she gently broke the news to her mum [as submodifier]: a gently humorous account...
- The young lieutenant's wife gently lets it be known that honoring her husband's service does not necessarily make one a hawk.
- He gently chides his flock in the West Wing that "the best place to go get operational information about the war is not from the White House."
- They tune in to the soft voice of an instructor, gently urging them to forge a union between mind and body.
2With lightness of action or effect; softly: gently pat your skin dry palm trees swayed gently in the breeze...
- Gently press down to form a five-inch disc.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently stir until smooth and well combined.
- Once seared, the shells remain in the pan to simmer gently with stock, aromatics, brandy, and rice.
2.1With only gradual inclines: a gently undulating landscape the lawn slopes gently to the river...
- The site is on a gently sloping hill above Interstate 60.
- The library is a heroic double-height space, top-lit by angular openings punched into the gently curved roof.
- The floors' areas are somewhat smaller near the top, giving the structure a gently tapering appearance on the skyline.
Phrases
gently born