Amerce

Pronunciation

• GenAm IPA: /əˈmɝs/
• RP IPA: /əˈmɜːs/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)s

Alternative forms

• amercy

Origin

From Anglo-Norman amercier, from Old French a ("at") + merci ("mercy"), thus “at the mercy of”; merci from Latin mercedem ("remuneration, favour, mercy").

Full definition of amerce

Verb

1. (transitive) To impose a fine on; to fine.
• 1597, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act III, Scene I:But I'll amerce you with so strong a fineThat you shall all repent the loss of mine:
• 1803, David Hume, The History of England, Volume 9, J. Wallis (1803), page 10:The person, in whose house the conventicle met, was amerced a like sum.
• 2002, Christopher Dyer, Making a Living in the Middle Ages: The People of Britain 850-1520, Yale University Press (2002), ISBN 0300090609, page 180:Lords responded to these offences by amercing (fining) them in the manor court, the revenues of which could provide a twentieth, or even a higher proportion of estate income.
2. (transitive) To punish; to make an exaction.
• 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book I, ll. 607-10:The fellows of his crime, the followers rather(Far other once beheld in bliss), condemn'dFor ever now to have their lot in pain,Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc't
• 1821, Byron, Cain, Act III, Scene I:Thou know'st thou art naked! Must the timeCome thou shalt be amerced for sins unknown,

Derived terms

• amercement

Related terms

• mercy

Anagrams

• raceme