mercy | WordDisk

Add

mercy `noun` [ ˈməːsi ]

• compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

• "the boy was screaming and begging for mercy"

Similar: leniency, lenience, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, charity, forgiveness, forbearance, quarter, humanity, humaneness, humanitarianism, mildness, soft-heartedness, tender-heartedness, kindness, sympathy, liberality, indulgence, tolerance, generosity, magnanimity, beneficence,

Opposite: ruthlessness, cruelty, inhumanity,

mercy `exclamation`

• used in expressions of surprise or fear.

• "‘Mercy me!’ uttered Mrs Diggory"

Origin: Middle English: from Old French merci ‘pity’ or ‘thanks’, from Latin merces, merced- ‘reward’, in Christian Latin ‘pity, favour, heavenly reward’.

have mercy on

• show compassion or forgiveness to.

• "may the Lord have mercy on her soul"

at the mercy of

• completely in the power of.
"consumers were at the mercy of every rogue in the marketplace"

be grateful for small mercies

• be relieved that an unpleasant situation is alleviated by minor advantages.
"I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies that it will come out of the existing budget"

have mercy on

• show compassion or forgiveness to.
"may the Lord have mercy on her soul"

leave someone or something to the mercy of

• leave someone or something exposed to probable danger or harm.
"the forest is left to the mercy of the loggers"

throw oneself on someone's mercy

• intentionally place oneself in a situation in which one must rely on someone else to be compassionate or lenient towards one.
"she was tempted to go back and throw herself on the mercy of the landlady"

mercy noun [ ˈməːsi ]

mercy exclamation

have mercy on

at the mercy of

be grateful for small mercies

have mercy on

leave someone or something to the mercy of

throw oneself on someone's mercy

mercy `noun` [ ˈməːsi ]

mercy `exclamation`