kind

kind¹

/kuynd/, adj., kinder, kindest.

1. of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person: a kind and loving person.

2. having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence: kind words.

3. indulgent, considerate, or helpful; humane (often fol. by to): to be kind to animals.

4. mild; gentle; clement: kind weather.

5. Brit. Dial. loving; affectionate.

[bef. 900; ME kind(e) natural, well-disposed, OE gecynde natural, GENIAL¹. See KIND²]

Syn. 1. mild, benign, benignant, gentle, tender, compassionate. KIND, GRACIOUS, KINDHEARTED, KINDLY imply a sympathetic attitude toward others, and a willingness to do good or give pleasure. KIND implies a deep-seated characteristic shown either habitually or on occasion by considerate behavior: a kind father. GRACIOUS often refers to kindness from a superior or older person to a subordinate, an inferior, a child, etc.: a gracious monarch. KINDHEARTED implies an emotionally sympathetic nature, sometimes easily imposed upon: a kindhearted old woman. KINDLY, a mild word, refers usually to general disposition, appearance, manner, etc.: a kindly face.

Ant. 1. cruel.

kind²

/kuynd/, n.

1. a class or group of individual objects, people, animals, etc., of the same nature or character, or classified together because they have traits in common; category: Our dog is the same kind as theirs.

2. nature or character as determining likeness or difference between things: These differ in degree rather than in kind.

3. a person or thing as being of a particular character or class: He is a strange kind of hero.

4. a more or less adequate or inadequate example of something; sort: The vines formed a kind of roof.

5. Archaic.

a. the nature, or natural disposition or character.

b. manner; form.

6. Obs. gender; sex.

7. in kind,

a. in something of the same kind or in the same way as that received or borne: They will be repaid in kind for their rudeness.

b. in goods, commodities, or services rather than money: In colonial times, payment was often made in kind.

8. kind of, Informal. to some extent; somewhat; rather: The room was kind of dark.

9. of a kind, of the same class, nature, character, etc.: They are two of a kind.

[bef. 900; ME kinde, OE gecynd nature, race, origin; c. ON kyndi, OHG kikunt, L gens (gen. gentis); see KIN]

Syn. 1. order, genus, species; race, breed; set.

Usage. The phrase THESE (or THOSE) KIND OF, followed by a plural noun (these kind of flowers; those kind of shoes) is frequently condemned as ungrammatical because it is said to combine a plural demonstrative (these; those) with a singular noun, KIND. Historically, KIND is an unchanged or unmarked plural noun like deer, folk, sheep, and swine, and the construction THESE KIND OF is an old one, occurring in the writings of Shakespeare, Swift, Jane Austen, and, in modern times, Jimmy Carter and Winston Churchill.

KIND has also developed the plural KINDS, evidently because of the feeling that the old pattern was incorrect. THESE KIND OF nevertheless persists in use, esp. in less formal speech and writing. In edited, more formal prose, THIS KIND OF and THESE KINDS OF are more common. SORT OF has been influenced by the use of KIND as an unchanged plural: these sort of books. This construction too is often considered incorrect and appears mainly in less formal speech and writing.

KIND (or SORT) OF as an adverbial modifier meaning "somewhat" occurs in informal speech and writing: Sales have been kind (or sort) of slow these last few weeks.

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