Part 178

GENS de mer, Fr. sea-faring men.

GENS de l’équipage, Fr. men belonging to the train of artillery.

GENT. Fr. Nation. It is only used in poetry, viz. La gent, qui porte le Turban. The Turkish Nation. In the plural number it is only accepted according to the following significations.

Le droit des GENS, Fr. the rights of nations.

Violer le droit des GENS, Fr. to infringe or violate the rights of nations.

Respecter le droit des GENS, Fr. to respect the rights of nations.

Un traité du troit des GENS, Fr. a treatise on the rights of nations.

The following phrases are in familiar use among the French, viz.

GENS de marque, Fr. men of distinction.

GENS de condition, Fr. men of condition.

GENS d’honneur, Fr. men of honor.

GENS de qualité, Fr. men of fashion, or quality.

GENS de coeur, Fr. men of spirit.

GENS d’epée, Fr. this term is used among the French, to distinguish officers, gentlemen, &c. who wear swords, from those who do not, particularly so in opposition to gens de la robe, or lawyers.

GENS de main, Fr. executive characters.

GENS de service, Fr. useful men, persons of exertions.

GENS de pied, Fr. The same as fantassins, foot soldiers, or men who serve on foot.

GENS de cheval, Fr. cavalry, or men who serve on horseback.

Mille GENS, cent mille gens, Fr. signifies any considerable number of men.

GENS, Fr. this word is likewise used to distinguish bodies of men that are in opposition to each other, viz.

Nos GENS ont battu les ennemis, Fr. our men, or people have overcome the enemy.

Nos GENS ont été battus, Fr. our men or people have been beaten.

Je craignois que ce ne fussent des ennemis, et c’étoient de nos GENS, Fr. I was apprehensive that they were our enemies, but they proved to be our own people.

Nos GENS battirent les vôtres, Fr., our men beat your’s.

GENS, Fr. when followed by the preposition de, and by a substantive, which points out any particular profession, trade, &c. signifies all those persons that belong to one nation, one town, &c. or who are of one specific profession or calling, as

LES GENS d’église, Fr. churchmen.

LES GENS de robe, Fr. lawyers or gentlemen of the long robe.

Les GENS de finance, Fr. men concerned in the distribution of public money.