# Hallmarks of a gentleman **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 8, 2013, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810 "2013-12-08T08:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/1 "2013-12-08T08:28:44Z")
I have heard numerous not-really-serious definitions of what makes a gentleman. I can only recall three: A gentleman is never accidentally rude A gentleman is never drunk before nine in the morning A gentleman never strikes a lady without first removing his hat Anyone have any others? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/2 "2013-12-08T08:30:24Z")
A gentleman doesn’t “kiss and tell” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/3 "2013-12-08T09:42:44Z")
A gentleman can play the bagpipes, but doesn’t. A gentleman takes his weight on his elbows. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/4 "2013-12-08T10:25:28Z")
A gentleman sleeps on the wet spot. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/5 "2013-12-08T11:29:54Z")
From “Another Roadside Attraction”: A gentleman never arises from his slumber before noon. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/6 "2013-12-08T11:33:35Z")
A gentleman always hands his lover a tissue after giving her a facial. A gentleman never calls his wife a fat cow to her face. A gentleman always puts the toilet lid down if the flush didn’t quite clean the bowl. A gentleman never posts nude photos of his girlfriend on the internet until after they break up. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/7 "2013-12-08T13:27:10Z")
_Wear your learning like your watch, in a private pocket; and do not pull it out, and strike it, merely to show that you have one._ - Lord Chesterfield (whose letters to his son are a trove for this topic) So we’re pretty much screwed and tattooed here ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/8 "2013-12-08T14:04:22Z")
A gentleman uses the cuspidor. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/9 "2013-12-08T14:18:47Z")
An officer shaves twice a day, a gentleman is always clean shaven. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/10 "2013-12-08T16:09:41Z")
Moved to MPSIMS (from Cafe Society). **twicks** , who never worries about being a gentleman ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/11 "2013-12-08T23:00:03Z")
A gentleman takes the blame if his girlfriend farts in public. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/12 "2013-12-08T23:24:41Z")
A gentleman always seeks permission before wiping his nose on a lady’s sleeve. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/13 "2013-12-09T00:10:11Z")
A gentleman takes the dishes out of the sink before he pees in it. [Shamelessly stolen from _Steel Magnolias_] ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/14 "2013-12-09T00:10:54Z")
You can tell if a man’s a gentleman by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/15 "2013-12-09T05:12:51Z")
A gentleman sends a lady a flower arrangement the next morning. Instead of leaving the cash to buy her own flowers on her nightstand or dresser before he leaves. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/16 "2013-12-09T21:05:07Z")
A gentleman never uses physical violence on anyone so frail or decrepit that verbal abuse is sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/17 "2013-12-09T22:14:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Hallmarks of a gentleman Should a gentleman make a mark in my hall, I would expect him to clean it. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/18 "2013-12-09T23:41:35Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > … > A gentleman takes his weight on his elbows. > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > A gentleman sleeps on the wet spot. A gentleman dresses appropriately for _any_ occasion. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/19 "2013-12-10T03:10:39Z")
Similar to the one about rude, but a bit more refined: A gentleman never gives offense _unintentionally_ re. wet spots: Gentlepersons put down a hand towel in such a location as to prevnt a wet spot from presenting disconfort ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810/20 "2013-12-10T03:32:19Z")
A gentleman must practice sword play at least one hour a day, and fire at least ten shots. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hallmarks-of-a-gentleman/675810.md?page=2)