Gentleman

In English law

A person of superior birth. According to Sir Edward Coke, he is one who bears coat armor, the grant of which adds gentility to a man's family. The eldest son had no exclusive claim to the degree; for, according to Littleton, "every son is as great a gentleman as the eldest."

2 Inst. 667.

Sir Thomas Smith, quoted by Blackstone (1 Comm. 406), says: "As for gentlemen, they are made good cheap in this kingdom; for whosoever studies the laws of the realm, who studies in the universities, who professeth liberal sciences, and, to be short, who can live idly and without manual labor, and will bear the port, charge, and countenance of a gentleman, shall be called master, and be taken for a gentleman." In the United States, this word is unknown to the law; but in many places it is applied by courtesy to all men. See Poth. Proc. Cr. § 1, Append. § 3. _ "It originally signified a man of gentle birth, but the use of the term has become changed, and it is often applied to denote persons of all ranl^s, from the upper down to the lowest verge of the middle class."

I C. P. Div. 61.

Thus, a coal agent out of employment (3 Hurl. & N. 798), or a medical student who had been in no business for several months (3 Hurl. & N. 382), is properly described as a "gent."