mercy

¹

[mur-see]

noun

plural

mercies 

1. compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence.

   Have mercy on the poor sinner.

   Synonyms: tenderness, lenity, leniency, clemency, indulgence, forgiveness, mildness
   Antonyms: cruelty

2. the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing.

   an adversary wholly without mercy.

3. the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

4. an act of kindness, compassion, or favor.

   She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5. something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing.

   It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

Mercy

²

[mur-see]

noun

1. a female given name.

mercy

/ ˈmɜːsɪ /

noun

1. compassionate treatment of or attitude towards an offender, adversary, etc, who is in one's power or care; clemency; pity

2. the power to show mercy

   to throw oneself on someone's mercy

3. a relieving or welcome occurrence or state of affairs

   his death was a mercy after weeks of pain

4. in the power of

Word History and Origins

Origin of mercy¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English merci, from Old French, earlier mercit, from Latin mercēd-, stem of mercēs “wages” ( Late Latin, Medieval Latin: “heavenly reward”), derivative of merc-, stem of merx “commodity, goods, merchandise”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mercy¹

C12: from Old French, from Latin mercēs wages, recompense, price, from merx goods

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to: Also at one's mercy.

   They were at the mercy of their captors.

see at the mercy of.

Example Sentences

At the break, it was 0-0, a mercy for the Scots given that Greece had confused the life out of them with their movement.

Read more on BBC

“There will be no more mercy,” a caption on the video said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

He very much believes he’s doing right by Tulsa’s everyday people, a working-class community at the mercy of men like Donald Washberg and the capitalist power brokers silently enabling his political career.

Read more on Salon

"Unless Japan can defend itself, its fate will always be at the mercy of shallow US opinion," she concluded.

Read more on BBC

Breathing a large sigh before standing to read his speech, he pleaded with the judge for "mercy".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• benevolence 
• blessing 
• charity 
• clemency 
• forgiveness 
• generosity 
• goodwill 
• grace 
• leniency 
• pity 
• sympathy 
• tolerance