Hypertext Webster Gateway: "merciful"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Merciful \Mer"ci*ful\, a. [Mercy + -ful.]
1. Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to
pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish.
The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. --Ex.
xxxiv. 6.
Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. --Shak.
2. Unwilling to give pain; compassionate.
A merciful man will be merciful to his beast. --Old
Proverb.
Syn: Compassionate; tender; humane; gracious; kind; mild;
clement; benignant. -- {Mer"ci*ful*ly}, adv. --
{Mer"ci*ful*ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
merciful
adj 1: showing or giving mercy; "sought merciful treatment for the
captives"; "a merciful god" [ant: {merciless}]
2: characterized by mercy, and compassion; "compassionate
toward disadvantaged people"; "kind to animals"; "a humane
judge" [syn: {kind}]
3: used conventionally of royalty and high nobility; "our
merciful king"
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