mild

Etymology

From Middle English milde, from Old English milde (“mild”), from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz (“mild”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to beat, pound, grind”). Cognate with Scots mild, myld (“mild”), Saterland Frisian milde (“mild”), West Frisian myld (“mild”), Dutch mild (“mild”), Low German milde (“mild”), German mild (“mild”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Bokmål mild (“mild”), Icelandic mildur (“mild”), Latin mollis (“soft, gentle”), Lithuanian malonus (“pleasing, pleasant, kind”), Old Norse mildr.

adj

1. Gentle and not easily angered.
   a mild man
2. (of a rule or punishment) Of only moderate severity; not strict.
   He received a mild sentence.
3. Not overly felt or seriously intended.
4. (of an illness or pain) Not serious or dangerous.
   I learn that mental retardation is classified in four levels: mild, moderate, severe, and profound. 2002, Rachel Simon, Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey
   NPDR can be further classified as mild, moderate, severe, or very severe, which can help predict how quickly the patient may progress to proliferative (neovascular) diabetic retinopathy (PDR). 2003, Janice A. Gault, Ophthalmology Pearls
5. (of weather) Moderately warm, especially less cold than expected.
   a mild day
   mild weather
6. (of a medicine or cosmetic) Acting gently and without causing harm.
   a mild anaesthetic
7. (of food, drink, or a drug) Not sharp or bitter; not strong in flavor.
   a mild curry

noun

1. (Britain) A relatively low-gravity beer, often with a dark colour; mild ale
   'Let me get this for the lady,' I said to Fange, who was pulling her a pint of mild. 1998, Robert Rankin, The Dance of the Voodoo Handbag, page 112
   But Stella shouldn't really be drunk in pints the same way our dads used to drink bitter or mild that was effectively half as strong. 2011, Pete Brown, Three Sheets to the Wind