the.com/gent
A gentleman with the manners kept and the trust fund quietly dropped.
means An informal, slightly old-fashioned way to say 'man,' often with a polite or respectable air — as in 'this gent will show you to your table.'
from Simply a clipped form of 'gentleman,' which itself traces back through Old French 'gentil' to Latin 'gentilis' (of the same clan or family), tied to 'gens' meaning family or race. 'Gentleman' originally marked a man of good birth and property; 'gent' sawed off the pedigree along with the syllables, leaving a shorter word that could be used plainly, politely, or with a wink.
- origin
- short for gentleman, English, 19th century slang
- class slip
- originally meant nobility, now means decent bloke
- british usage
- also plural shorthand for a men's restroom
- tone
- compliment when earned, punchline when not