4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Mercy  \Mer"cy\,  n.;  pl  {Mercies}.  [OE.  merci,  F.  merci,  L. 
  merces,  mercedis,  hire,  pay  reward,  LL.,  equiv.  to 
  misericordia  pity,  mercy.  L.  merces  is  prob?  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}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  mercy 
  n  1:  leniency  and  compassion  shown  toward  offenders  by  a  person 
  or  agency  charged  with  administering  justice;  "he  threw 
  himself  on  the  mercy  of  the  court"  [syn:  {clemency},  {mercifulness}] 
  2:  a  disposition  to  be  kind  and  forgiving;  "in  those  days  a 
  wife  had  to  depend  on  the  mercifulness  of  her  husband" 
  [syn:  {mercifulness}]  [ant:  {mercilessness}] 
  3:  the  feeling  that  motivates  compassion  [syn:  {mercifulness}] 
  4:  something  for  which  to  be  thankful;  "it  was  a  mercy  we  got 
  out  alive" 
  5:  alleviation  of  distress;  showing  great  kindness  toward  the 
  distressed;  "distributing  food  and  clothing  to  the  flood 
  victims  was  an  act  of  mercy" 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Mercy 
  compassion  for  the  miserable.  Its  object  is  misery.  By  the 
  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ  a  way  is  open  for  the  exercise  of 
  mercy  towards  the  sons  of  men,  in  harmony  with  the  demands  of 
  truth  and  righteousness  (Gen.  19:19;  Ex  20:6;  34:6,  7;  Ps 
  85:10;  86:15,  16).  In  Christ  mercy  and  truth  meet  together. 
  Mercy  is  also  a  Christian  grace  (Matt.  5:7;  18:33-35). 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  MERCY,  n.  An  attribute  beloved  of  detected  offenders. 
 
 

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