gracious

gracious, a.
  (ˈgreɪʃəs)
  Forms: 4–5 gracios(e, 4–6 graciouse, (4 -iouce), -ius(s, -yous(e, (5 -yows), 5–6 grac(i)eux, 6–7 gratious, (6 -ius), 4– gracious. Also gratiose.
  [a. OF. gracious (mod.F. gracieux) = Pr. gracios Sp. gracioso (also as n.: see gracioso), Pg. gracioso, It. grazioso, ad. L. grātiōsus, f. grātia: see grace and -ous.
  The L. word usu. means ‘enjoying favour’, ‘attracting favour, pleasing’. In mod.Fr. the prevailing meaning is ‘graceful’; but all the senses below have existed in Fr. use.]
  † 1. Enjoying grace or favour; in good odour, acceptable, popular. Also of actions: Winning favour or goodwill. Const. to, with. Obs.

13.. Coer de L. 6456 It was to Richard a gracious dede. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 20, I am sorie I am so litle gratius in Pembrook that I cannot yit..obtain mi grace. 1602 Warner Albion's Eng. xi. lxi. 268 Alreadie was he gratious both with her and all the Court. 1613 in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 279, I marvel he would offer himself, knowing how little gracious he is. 1613 Beaum. & Fl. Captain v. iv, I am a handsome gratious fellow amongst women. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. iv. §339 Spies were set upon..all..discourses, which fell from those, who were not gracious to them. 1658 Cleveland Rustick Rampant Wks. (1687) 400 Ever babling those things which he fancied would be Gracious to the Multitude. 1691 Ray Creation (1714) 379 Which renders persons gracious and acceptable in the eyes of others. 1727 Swift Let. to Writer of Occas. Paper Wks. 1778 XI. 129 You are not supposed to be very gracious among those who are most able to hurt you. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Quality (1809) IV. 92 This man wanted to be gracious with my pretty young wife. 1821 D. Haggart Life 55, I..got very gracious with the dub coves, on account of my being a quiet orderly prisoner.

  2. a. Of a character likely to find favour; having pleasing qualities. Now somewhat arch. or poet.

1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 5805 He ys a man ful gracyous Gode to wynne on to þine hous. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 954 Al þat growus in þe ground of graciouce þingus. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 91 Grace is a manere in man bi which he is graciouse to God. 1398 Trevisa Barth De P.R. xvii. xxiii. (Tollem. MS.), Cipresse..haþ bitter leues, and violent smel, and graciouse schadowe. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xv. 54 The byrdes renewen theyre swete songe gracyouse. c 1491 Chast. Goddes Chyld. 10 Among al bestes there is a gracious best whiche men call apes. 1509 Fisher Funeral Serm. Hen. VII, Wks. (1876) 269 His speche gracyous in dyuerse languages. 1530 Palsgr. 314/1 Gracyouse in spekyng, facont, facunde. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xix. 23 b, They woulde endevour..too make the Bascha condescend to a better and more gracious composition. 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. A viij b, Ioyned to a Citie, to the sight most gratious. 1768 H. Walpole Hist. Doubts 108 The body..was found almost entire, and emitted a gracious perfume. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy Pref. 5 If to paint one's country in its gracious aspect has been a weakness. 1852 M. Arnold Empedocles on Etna i. i. 6 How gracious is the mountain at this hour! 1863 Hawthorne Our Old Home 107 A thousand shrubs and gracious herbs. 1864 Tennyson Aylmer's F. 240 A gracious gift to give a lady, this!

  † b. Endowed with grace or charm of appearance, attractive; also in more limited sense, graceful, elegant. Obs.

1340–70 Alisaunder 182 Grete yien & graie, gracious lippes. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 933 To loke on þe glory of þys gracious gote. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 556 A man child she bar by this Walter ffull gracious and fair for to biholde. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) vi. 69 Toward the Est ende of the Cytee, is a fulle fair Chirche and a gracyouse. a 1400–50 Alexander 4909 Ane of þe graciousest gomes þat euire god fourmed. c 1500 Melusine lxi. 366, I desyre none other thing erthly nor none other I shal not aske nor take of you, but only your gracyous body. c 1590 Greene Fr. Bacon ix. 174 Gracious as the morning star of heaven. 1604 Marston Malcontent ii. iv. D 3, Hee is the most exquisite in forging of veines..dying of haire [etc.] that euer made an old Lady gratious by torchlight. 1607–12 Bacon Ess., Beauty (Arb.) 210 In beautie that of favour is more then that of collour, and that of decent and gracious mocion, more then that of favour. 1613–39 I. Jones in Leoni Palladio's Archit. (1742) I. 38 The Wave..instead of the Ovolo, in my Judgment is very gracious. 1649 Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 45 His person is not very gracious, the small-pox having put out one of his eyes: but he is of good shape.

  c. gracious living: an elegant way of life, esp. with reference to the proprieties and niceties in standards of housekeeping. Occas. ironical. Hence gracious liver.

[1932 Q. D. Leavis Fiction & Reading Public 319 Cf. the following advertisement taken at random from one of the luxurious women's magazines: Those who golf at St. Andrews..shop in the Rue de la Paix..those who live graciously, are fastidious in their choice of ships.] 1937 New Yorker 16 Jan. 24/3 Many a shoe wholesaler has learned more about what constitutes a Pattern of Gracious Living. 1945 Palestine Post 26 Oct. 7/6 American magazines..are all geared to some super-glamourized Gracious Living in relation to the opinion of the neighbours. 1951 J. Cannan And All I Learned ix. 154, I don't demand luxury..but I do like gracious living. 1953 K. Amis Lucky Jim xiv. 145 It should be possible for the right man to stop, or at least hinder, her from being a refined gracious-liver and arty-rubbish-talker. 1958 Observer 13 Apr. 9/3 One of the main problems the Russians are wrestling with to-day is how to achieve ‘gracious living’. 1959 ‘M. Derby’ Tigress iii. 129 The suburban vulgarity of gracious living. 1969 M. Pugh Last Place Left xxiii. 178 In a booming bistro..we sat hard against a gracious liver who called the bread the club of death.

  3. Characterized by or exhibiting kindness or courtesy; kindly, benevolent, courteous. Now rare (chiefly poet.) exc. with some notion of sense 4.

a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xvi. 52 Heo is dereworthe in day, Graciouse, stout, ant gay. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13553 Iff ye haue ferkit any fode to þis frith now, Bes gracius, for goddes loue, ges me som part! 1450–70 Golagros & Gaw. 389 Schir Gawyne the gay, gude and gracius. c 1477 Caxton Jason 29 They had neuer seen none so courtays ne so gracious. 1598 Marston Pygmal. xv. 127 Be gracious vnto him that formed thee. 1859 Tennyson Guinevere 326 Sir Lancelot..Was gracious to all ladies. 1871 Blackie Four Phases i. 41 An essentially selfish motive can often be traced beneath the gracious surface.

  4. a. Condescendingly kind, indulgent and beneficent to inferiors. Now only of very exalted personages (cf. b), or in playful or sarcastic applications.

1390 Gower Conf. II. 141 Be gracious and do largesse. Ibid. III. 190 It sit a king to be pitous Toward his people and gracious. 1543 Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 190 Quher⁓for we beleif your lordschip wilbe so graciuss to pardon ws to remane at hame at this tym. 1713 Swift Let. to Miss Vanhomrigh Lett. 1766 II. 285 When I am fixed anywhere, perhaps, I may be so gracious to let you know, but I will not promise. 1787 F. Burney Diary Oct., She [the Queen] almost regularly came to my room, and spent the time in gracious converse. 1791 Burke App. Whigs Wks. VI. 102 The gracious intentions of his sovereign. 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. iii, I am sure I am very much obliged to you at least, sir, said Miss La Creevy in a gracious manner. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 125 He now proclaimed that he had been only too gracious when he had condescended to ask the assent of the Scottish Estates to his wishes. 1855 Ibid. xiii. III. 320 He was a gracious master, a trusty ally, a terrible enemy. 1876 Trollope Autobiogr. vii. (1883) I. 168 [He] turned out to be a duke,—and a duke, too, who could speak English! How gracious he was to us, and yet how thoroughly he covered us with ridicule.

  b. Used as a courteous epithet in referring to kings, queens, or dukes, their actions, etc.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 133 Þan was Inglond in pes & charite, & alle in Henry gracious kyng & fre. a 1413 Prince of Wales Let. to Hen. IV in Facsim. Nat. MSS. I. 36, I recomande me to yowr good & gracieux lordship. 1530 Privy Purse Exp. Hen. VIII (1827) 22 Paied to ij Nonnes of Caunterbury by way of the kinges gracieux rewarde xls. 1555 Eden Decades W. Ind. (Arb.) 52 Owr noble and gratious prince kynge Phylyppe. 1559 Bk. Com. Prayer, Litany, Our most gracious Quene, and gouernour. 1571 Act 13 Eliz. c. 29 §2 In the third yeare of her Highnes most gratious Raigne. 1638 Marquis of Hamilton Let. to Chas. I in H. Papers (Camden) 21 Your Matts most gratious letter of the 29. 1771 Junius Lett. xlix. 253 The gracious prince who governs this country. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. II. 112 The voice of the majority decides that my gracious master shall not be written to.

  † c. gracious Lord [= F. † gracieux seigneur], a name given to some fish. Obs.

1694 Motteux Rabelais iv. lx. 236 Rock fish, Gracious Lords, Sword fish [etc.].

  5. a. Of the Deity, Christ, the Virgin Mary: Disposed to show or dispense grace, merciful, compassionate, benignant.

1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 133 How mercyful and gracyouse God es. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xv. 134 And god is ay gracious..to alle þat gredeþ to hym. c 1410 Hoccleve Mother of God 81 Thy gracious bountee spredith al aboute. c 1430 Hymns Virg. 99 Graciose crist! my soule þou haue. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings xiii. 23 The Lorde was gracious vnto them, and had mercy vpon them. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 444 The moste mightie and gratious God..prolong your life in health and prosperitie. 1635 A. Stafford Fem. Glory (1869) 148 Under the shadow of Thy gratious Wing. 1650 T. Hubbert Pill Formality 122 So great, so good, and so gratious a God. 1687 Dryden Hind & P. i. 64 But, gratious God, how well dost thou provide For erring judgments an unerring Guide? 1738 Wesley Psalms ii. viii, I heard my Gracious Father say [etc.]. Ibid. v. i, O Lord, incline thy gracious Ear. 1847 Tennyson Princ. ii. 174 A pack of wolves! the Lord be gracious to me! 1871 Morley Voltaire (1886) 2 A gracious, benevolent and all-powerful being. 1876 Mozley Univ. Serm. xi. (1877) 218 God is so gracious that He gives man faith and a religious spirit upon his asking for it. 1877 Maclear Mark i. 36 His gracious presence was not to be confined to Capernaum.

quasi-adv. a 1617 P. Bayne Lect. 269 Therefore the Lord hath dealt marvellously gracious with us.

  b. ellipt. as a substitute for the name of God. In various exclamations, as gracious! Ah (Oh) gracious! good gracious! † goodly and gracious! O my gracious! gracious me! gracious sake!, etc. See also goodness 5.

1713, 1744 [see goodly a.]. 1768 Goldsm. Good-n. Man i. Wks. (Globe) 616/1 Good gracious! can I believe my eyes or my ears! 179. Pegge Derbicisms i. (E.D.S.) s.v., Ah gracious! an exclamation for ah gracious God! or, ah be gracious unto me! 1794 A. M. Bennett Ellen I. 18 ‘Gracious!’ she exclaimed. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) II. 65 Shot in a duel too! good gracious! 1850 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 137 My startled look and exclamation, ‘Oh, gracious!’ 1856 G. J. Whyte-Melville Kate Cov. i, But we women—gracious! if we only take the trouble, we can turn the whole male sex round our little fingers. 1856 Mrs. Stowe Dred I. xi. 144 'Married! O, my gracious! 1884 Pae Eustace 14 Gracious me, how does she come to be the sister of that huge salmon-fisher? 1885 Howells Silas Lapham (1891) I. 77 ‘By gracious!..there ain't anything like that in this world for business.’ 1893 ‘Q.’ [Couch] Delect. Duchy 155, ‘I hope to gracious you'm goin' to keep it up.’

  † 6. Characterized by or endowed with divine grace, godly, righteous, pious, regenerate. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 2081 Noe, þat gracius and god. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 457 Þat all men..schul..calle hem moste holy faderis, and most blessid and moste mercyful and gracius. 1533 More Answ. Poysoned Bk. Wks. 1137/1 All the olde holy expositours of the scripture, whiche were good menne and gracious. a 1635 Sibbes Confer. Christ & Mary (1656) 100 A gracious Christian never wanteth arguments of assurance of salvation. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. ii. 102 Grace of Regeneration..introduceth gracious habits of sweetnesse, peace and love. 1669 Bunyan Holy Citie 130 All the holy and truly gracious Souls that are with him on the Mount Zion. 1738 Wesley Psalms lxxx. xv, Error in ten thousand shapes Would every gracious Soul beguile. 1757 ― Wks. (1872) XIII. 202, I could not deny his being a gracious person.

  † 7. Happy, fortunate, prosperous. Obs.

1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 193 Alixandre..þat grete god amon in graciouce timus Bi-gat on olimpias þe onurable quene. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I 321 Insule Fortunate þat beeþ þe gracious ilondes. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xiii. 244 Bot were I not more gracyus and rychere befar, I were eten outt of howse and of harbar. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 76, I..desir'd her, To try her gracious fortune with Lord Angelo, For her poore Brothers pardon. 1611 ― Wint. T. iii. i. 22 Goe: fresh Horses, And gracious be the issue.

  † 8. Given by way of indulgence or mercy: a. gracious day (see quot.); b. said of a mortal thrust given to one in great pain (cf. coup de grace). Obs.

1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 141 Some one of the Standers by is permitted to give him a gracious stab to the Heart. 1726 Amherst Terræ Fil. xlii. 233 Some of these days are called gracious days, because upon them the respondent is not obliged to stay in the schools above half the time, which respondents upon other days are.

  9. Comb.

1868 Ld. Houghton Select. fr. Wks. 29 A strife of gracious-worded difference.

Oxford English Dictionary