a nation of gentlemen
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
So George IV called the Scots when, in 1822, he visited their country and was received with great expres- sions of loyalty.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a nation of gentlemen” mean?
So George IV called the Scots when, in 1822, he visited their country and was received with great expres- sions of loyalty.
Is “a nation of gentlemen” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.