mete

¹

[ meet ]

verb (used with object)

, met·ed, met·ing.

1. to distribute or apportion by measure; allot; dole (usually followed by out ):

   to mete out punishment.

   Synonyms: parcel, measure, deal

2. Archaic. to measure.

mete

²

[ meet ]

noun

1. a limiting mark.
2. a limit or boundary.

   Synonyms: bound

mete

¹

/ miːt /

noun

1. rare.
   a mark, limit, or boundary (esp in the phrase metes and bounds )

mete

²

/ miːt /

verb

1. formal.
   usually foll by out to distribute or allot (something, often unpleasant)

verb

1. poetic.
   (to) measure

Other Words From

• un·meted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mete¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English metan; cognate with Dutch meten, Old Norse meta, Gothic mitan, German messen to measure, Greek mḗdesthai to ponder

Origin of mete²

1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French < Latin mēta goal, turning post

Word History and Origins

Origin of mete¹

C15: from Old French, from Latin mēta goal, turning post (in race)

Origin of mete²

Old English metan; compare Old Saxon metan, Old Norse meta, German messen to measure

Example Sentences

Poshmark started taking applications from eligible sellers on Thursday for the company’s second round of its Heart and Hustle Fund, a $500,000 pot of money that the platform plans to mete out this summer.

From Digiday

A company that has a just clause policy “has to show that the discipline that was meted out to a particular worker was proportionate to the alleged thing that they did wrong,” DeCarava said.

From Digiday

The stories are ideal for short trips, and the collection will appeal to listeners from nonage to senectitude, as long as they enjoy justice meted out with merry malice.

From Washington Post

Arlington’s county manager does not want a civilian group to have the power to launch investigations of police conduct and mete out discipline.

From Washington Post

That includes 11 countries in which death is the punishment meted out for those convicted of homosexuality and other “crimes” of sexual and gender non-conformity.

From Washington Blade

Womankind has long known that style can be used as a weapon to mete out psychological torment.

From The Daily Beast

Navarro worries that may mean the politically powerful Flores family will mete out their own brand of justice.

From The Daily Beast

That's why Google has decided to slowly mete out the "invites" to its new Google Voice telephone service.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, Uncle Frank must endeavor to keep in mind, that with what measure we mete it shall be measured to us again.

From Project Gutenberg

For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.

From Project Gutenberg

Nothing would be more unworthy of this nation, than with a mean and mechanical rule, to mete out the splendour of the Crown.

From Project Gutenberg

Nan ancre seruant ne ahte bi rihte to easkin iset hure bute mete hure ha mei flutte bi; ant godes milce.

From Project Gutenberg

Petruchio, in "The Taming of the Shrew," calls the tailor's measuring-yard his mete-yard.

From Project Gutenberg