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Webster 1913 Edition


Mercy

Mer′cy

(mẽr′sy̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Mercies
(#)
.
[OE.
merci
, F.
merci
, L.
merces
,
mercedis
, hire, pay, reward, LL., equiv. to
misericordia
pity, mercy. L.
merces
is probably akin to
merere
to deserve, acquire. See
Merit
, and cf.
Amerce
.]
1.
Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency.
Examples of justice must be made for terror to some; examples of
mercy
for comfort to others.
Bacon.
2.
Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes, favor, beneficence.
Luke x. 37.
3.
Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to spare or to help.
In whom
mercy
lacketh and is not founden.
Sir T. Elyot.
4.
A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor.
The Father of
mercies
and the God of all comfort.
2 Cor. i. 3.
Mercy seat
(Bib.)
,
the golden cover or lid of the Ark of the Covenant. See
Ark
, 2.
Sisters of Mercy
(R. C. Ch.)
,
a religious order founded in Dublin in the year 1827. Communities of the same name have since been established in various American cities. The duties of those belonging to the order are, to attend lying-in hospitals, to superintend the education of girls, and protect decent women out of employment, to visit prisoners and the sick, and to attend persons condemned to death.
To be at the mercy of
,
to be wholly in the power of.
Syn. – See
Grace
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Mercy

MER'CY

,
Noun.
[L. misericordia.]
1.
That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.
The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty. Num.14.
2.
An act or exercise of mercy or favor. It is a mercy that they escaped.
I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies. Gen.32.
3.
Pity; compassion manifested towards a person in distress.
And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Luke.10.
4.
Clemency and bounty.
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy. Prov.28.
5.
Charity, or the duties of charity and benevolence.
I will have mercy and not sacrifice. Matt.9.
6.
Grace; favor. 1 Cor.7. Jude 2.
7.
Eternal life, the fruit of mercy. 2 Tim.1.
8.
Pardon.
I cry thee mercy with all my heart.
9.
The act of sparing, or the forbearance of a violent act expected. The prisoner cried for mercy.
To be or to lie at the mercy of, to have no means of self-defense, but to be dependent for safety on the mercy or compassion of another, or in the power of that which is irresistible; as, to be at the mercy of a foe, or of the waves.

Definition 2024


Mercy

Mercy

See also: mercy

English

Proper noun

Mercy

  1. A female given name, one of the less common Puritan virtue names.
    • 1844 Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, Chapter 2:
      Mr Pecksniff was a moral man — a grave man, a man of noble sentiments and speech — and he had had her christened Mercy. Mercy! oh, what a charming name for such a pure–souled Being as the youngest Miss Pecksniff! Her sister’s name was Charity. There was a good thing! Mercy and Charity!

Related terms

mercy

mercy

See also: Mercy

English

Noun

mercy (countable and uncountable, plural mercies)

  1. (uncountable) relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another
    She took mercy on him and quit embarrassing him.
  2. (uncountable) forgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.
    Have mercy on the poor and assist them if you can.
  3. (uncountable) A tendency toward forgiveness, pity, or compassion
    Mercy is one of his many virtues.
  4. (countable) Instances of forbearance or forgiveness.
    Psalms 40:11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord
  5. A blessing, something to be thankful for.
    It was a mercy that we were not inside when the roof collapsed
  6. (phrasal) Subjugation, power; reliance upon the compassion, forbearance, or whim of another (at the mercy of)
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 1, in The Celebrity:
      The stories did not seem to me to touch life. […] They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

mercy (third-person singular simple present mercies, present participle mercying, simple past and past participle mercied)

  1. (obsolete) To thank.
    • c. 1385, William Langland, Piers Plowman, III:
      Mildeliche Mede þanne · mercyed hem alle / Of þeire gret goodnesse.

External links

  • mercy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • mercy in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Middle French

Noun

mercy m, f (plural mercys)

  1. mercy (relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another)
    • 1488, Jean Dupré, Lancelot du Lac, page 5:
      la damoiselle qui grant paour avoit de mourir cria mercy
      the lady who was very afraid of dying cried out 'mercy!'