4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Merit  \Mer"it\,  v.  i. 
  To  acquire  desert;  to  gain  value;  to  receive  benefit;  to 
  profit.  [Obs.]  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Merit  \Mer"it\,  n.  [F.  m['e]rite,  L.  meritum  fr  merere 
  mereri,  to  deserve,  merit;  prob.  originally,  to  get  a  share; 
  akin  to  Gr  ?  part  ?  fate,  doom,  ?  to  receive  as  one's 
  portion.  Cf  {Market},  {Merchant},  {Mercer},  {Mercy}.] 
  1.  The  quality  or  state  of  deserving  well  or  ill;  desert. 
 
  Here  may  men  see  how  sin  hath  his  merit.  --Chaucer. 
 
  Be  it  known  that  we  the  greatest,  are  misthought 
  For  things  that  others  do  and  when  we  fall,  We 
  answer  other's  merits  in  our  name  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Esp.  in  a  good  sense:  The  quality  or  state  of  deserving 
  well  worth;  excellence. 
 
  Reputation  is  .  .  .  oft  got  without  merit,  and  lost 
  without  deserving.  --Shak. 
 
  To  him  the  wit  of  Greece  and  Rome  was  known  And 
  every  author's  merit,  but  his  own  --Pope. 
 
  3.  Reward  deserved;  any  mark  or  token  of  excellence  or 
  approbation;  as  his  teacher  gave  him  ten  merits. 
 
  Those  laurel  groves,  the  merits  of  thy  youth. 
  --Prior. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Merit  \Mer"it\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Merited};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Meriting}.]  [F.  m['e]riter,  L.  meritare  v.  intens.  fr 
  merere  See  {Merit},  n.] 
  1.  To  earn  by  service  or  performance;  to  have  a  right  to 
  claim  as  reward;  to  deserve;  sometimes  to  deserve  in  a 
  bad  sense  as  to  merit  punishment.  ``This  kindness  merits 
  thanks.''  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  reward.  [R.  &  Obs.]  --Chapman. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  merit 
  n  1:  any  admirable  quality  or  attribute;  "work  of  great  merit" 
  [syn:  {virtue}]  [ant:  {demerit}] 
  2:  the  quality  of  being  deserving  (e.g.,  deserving  assistance); 
  "there  were  many  children  whose  deservingness  he 
  recognized  and  rewarded"  [syn:  {deservingness},  {meritoriousness}] 
  v  :  be  worthy  of  or  have  a  certain  rating  [syn:  {rate},  {deserve}] 

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