Hypertext Webster Gateway: "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 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) 1.7 (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"
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