mercy
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Related to mercy: God's mercy
mer·cy
(mûr′sē)n. pl. mer·cies
Idiom: 1. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.
2. A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.
3. Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.
4. Alleviation of distress; relief: Taking in the refugees was an act of mercy.
at the mercy of
Without any protection against; helpless before: drifting in an open boat, at the mercy of the elements.
[Middle English merci, from Old French, from Medieval Latin mercēs, mercēd-, from Latin, reward.]
Synonyms: mercy, leniency, clemency, charity
These nouns mean humane and kind, sympathetic, or forgiving treatment of or disposition toward others. Mercy is compassionate forbearance: "The challenge ... is how to define morally reasonable grounds on which to grant perpetrators mercy and allow them to go free" (Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela).
Leniency implies mildness, gentleness, and often a tendency to reduce punishment: "Even though Grant advocated leniency toward the Confederacy's military leaders, he called for punishment of its political leaders" (Brooks D. Simpson).
Clemency is mercy shown by someone with judicial authority: The judge believed in clemency for youthful offenders. Charity is goodwill and benevolence in judging others: "With malice toward none, with charity for all ... let us strive on to finish the work we are in" (Abraham Lincoln).
These nouns mean humane and kind, sympathetic, or forgiving treatment of or disposition toward others. Mercy is compassionate forbearance: "The challenge ... is how to define morally reasonable grounds on which to grant perpetrators mercy and allow them to go free" (Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela).
Leniency implies mildness, gentleness, and often a tendency to reduce punishment: "Even though Grant advocated leniency toward the Confederacy's military leaders, he called for punishment of its political leaders" (Brooks D. Simpson).
Clemency is mercy shown by someone with judicial authority: The judge believed in clemency for youthful offenders. Charity is goodwill and benevolence in judging others: "With malice toward none, with charity for all ... let us strive on to finish the work we are in" (Abraham Lincoln).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mercy
(ˈmɜːsɪ)n, pl -cies
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. at the mercy of in the power of
[C12: from Old French, from Latin mercēs wages, recompense, price, from merx goods]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mer•cy
(ˈmɜr si)n., pl. -cies.
1. compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion or benevolence.
2. the disposition or discretionary power to be compassionate or forbearing.
3. an act of kindness, compassion, or favor.
4. something of good fortune; blessing: It was a mercy they weren't hurt.
Idioms: at the mercy of, wholly in the power of; subject to.
[1125–75; Middle English merci < Old French < Latin mercēd- (s. of mercēs) wages (Late Latin, Medieval Latin: heavenly reward), derivative of merx goods]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  mercy - leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; "he threw himself on the mercy of the court"re-sentencing, commutation - (law) the reduction in severity of a punishment imposed by law quarter - clemency or mercy shown to a defeated opponent; "he surrendered but asked for quarter" |
| 2. | mercy - a disposition to be kind and forgiving; "in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband" humaneness - the quality of compassion or consideration for others (people or animals) compassion, pity - the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it forgivingness, kindness - tendency to be kind and forgiving | |
| 3. |  mercy - the feeling that motivates compassioncompassion, compassionateness - a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering forgiveness - compassionate feelings that support a willingness to forgive | |
| 4. | mercy - something for which to be thankful; "it was a mercy we got out alive" | |
| 5. |  mercy - alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed; "distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy"ministration, succor, succour, relief - assistance in time of difficulty; "the contributions provided some relief for the victims" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
mercy
noun
1. compassion, charity, pity, forgiveness, quarter, favour, grace, kindness, clemency, leniency, benevolence, forbearance Neither side showed its prisoners any mercy.
compassion cruelty, brutality, severity, harshness, inhumanity, pitilessness
compassion cruelty, brutality, severity, harshness, inhumanity, pitilessness
at the mercy of something or someone
1. defenceless against, subject to, open to, exposed to, vulnerable to, threatened by, susceptible to, prey to, an easy target for, naked before, unprotected against Buildings are left to decay at the mercy of vandals and bad weather.
2. in the power of, under the control of, in the clutches of, under the heel of servants or slaves were at the mercy of their masters
Quotations
"Yet I shall temper so"
"Justice with mercy" [John Milton Paradise Lost]
"Yet I shall temper so"
"Justice with mercy" [John Milton Paradise Lost]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
mercy
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
رحمةرَحَمَةٌرَحْمَهنِعْمَه، بَرَكَه
slitováníštěstí
nådevelsignelsebarmhjertighedheld
armoonnisäälisiunausarmeliaisuus
milost
irgalom
mildi, lánmiskunn
慈悲
자비
gailestingaiko valiojepasigailėjimaspasigailėtivisiškai priklausomas
veiksme, laimežēlastībažēlsirdība
zľutovanie
na milost in nemilostusmiljenje
nåd
ความเมตตา
sự khoan dung
mercy
[ˈmɜːsɪ]A. N
1. (= compassion) → misericordia f; (= clemency) → clemencia f, piedad f
to beg for mercy → pedir clemencia
to have mercy on sb → tener misericordia or piedad de algn, tener clemencia para con algn
have mercy! → ¡por piedad!
God in His mercy → el Señor en su infinita bondad
to show sb no mercy → no mostrarse misericordioso or clemente con algn
no mercy was shown to the rioters → no hubo clemencia para los revoltosos
to beg for mercy → pedir clemencia
to have mercy on sb → tener misericordia or piedad de algn, tener clemencia para con algn
have mercy! → ¡por piedad!
God in His mercy → el Señor en su infinita bondad
to show sb no mercy → no mostrarse misericordioso or clemente con algn
no mercy was shown to the rioters → no hubo clemencia para los revoltosos
2. (= discretion)
to be at the mercy of sth/sb → estar a merced de algo/algn
to be left to the tender mercies of sb (esp hum) → quedar a merced de algn
to throw o.s. on sb's mercy → ponerse en (las) manos de algn
to be at the mercy of sth/sb → estar a merced de algo/algn
to be left to the tender mercies of sb (esp hum) → quedar a merced de algn
to throw o.s. on sb's mercy → ponerse en (las) manos de algn
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
mercy
[ˈmɜːrsi] n (= compassion) → compassion f
acts of mercy → des actes de compassion
to plead for mercy, to beg for mercy → demander grâce
to cry for mercy → crier grâce
to show mercy → faire quartier
to show no mercy → ne pas faire de quartier
Neither side took prisoners or showed any mercy → Aucun des deux camps ne prenait de prisonnier ou ne faisait de quartier.
at the mercy of sth → à la merci de qch
to be at the mercy of sb → être à la merci de qn
to throw o.s. on the mercy of sb → se jeter aux pieds de qn
to throw o.s. on the mercy of the court → en appeler à la clémence de la cour
acts of mercy → des actes de compassion
to plead for mercy, to beg for mercy → demander grâce
to cry for mercy → crier grâce
to show mercy → faire quartier
to show no mercy → ne pas faire de quartier
Neither side took prisoners or showed any mercy → Aucun des deux camps ne prenait de prisonnier ou ne faisait de quartier.
at the mercy of sth → à la merci de qch
to be at the mercy of sb → être à la merci de qn
to throw o.s. on the mercy of sb → se jeter aux pieds de qn
to throw o.s. on the mercy of the court → en appeler à la clémence de la cour
to be thankful for small mercies, to be grateful for small mercies → s'estimer heureux/eusemercy killing n → euthanasie f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
mercy
n
no pl (= feeling of compassion) → Erbarmen nt; (= action, forbearance from punishment) → Gnade f; (= God’s mercy) → Barmherzigkeit f; to beg for mercy → um Gnade bitten or flehen; to have mercy/no mercy on somebody → mit jdm Erbarmen/kein Erbarmen haben; have mercy! → Gnade!, Erbarmen!; Lord have mercy upon us → Herr, erbarme dich unser; to show somebody mercy/no mercy → Erbarmen/kein Erbarmen mit jdm haben; to throw oneself on somebody’s mercy → sich jdm auf Gnade und Ungnade ausliefern; to be at the mercy of somebody → jdm (auf Gedeih und Verderb) ausgeliefert sein; to be at the mercy of something → einer Sache (dat) → ausgeliefert sein; we’re at your mercy → wir sind in Ihrer Gewalt or Hand; at the mercy of the elements → dem Spiel der Elemente preisgegeben; a mission of mercy → eine Hilfsaktion
mercy
:mercy killing
mercy seat
n → Gnadenthron or -stuhl m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
mercy
[ˈmɜːsɪ] n → pietà f inv, clemenza (Rel) → misericordiato be at the mercy of sb/sth → essere alla mercé or in balia di qn/qc
to have mercy on sb → avere pietà di qn
to be left to the tender mercies of sb → essere lasciato/a alle buone cure di qn
it's a mercy that ... → è una fortuna che + sub
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
mercy
(ˈməːsi) – plural ˈmercies – noun1. kindness towards a person, especially an enemy, who is in one's power. He showed his enemies no mercy.
2. a piece of good luck or something for which one should be grateful. It was a mercy that it didn't rain.
ˈmerciful adjective willing to forgive or to punish only lightly. a merciful judge.
ˈmercifully adverbˈmerciless adjective
without mercy; cruel. merciless criticism.
ˈmercilessly adverbat the mercy of
wholly in the power of, liable to be harmed by. A sailor is at the mercy of the sea.
have mercy on to give kindness to (an enemy etc who is in one's power). Have mercy on me!
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
mercy
→ رَحَمَةٌ slitování nåde Erbarmen οίκτος misericordia armo clémence milost misericordia 慈悲 자비 genade barmhjertighet litość piedade милосердие nåd ความเมตตา merhamet sự khoan dung 宽恕Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
mercy
n. misericordia, compasión;
___ killing → eutanasia.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012