amerce

English

WOTD – 2 February 2013, 2 February 2015

Alternative forms

amercy

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman amercier, from Old French a (“at”) + merci (“mercy”), thus “at the mercy of”.

Pronunciation

(General American) IPA^(key): /əˈmɝs/
(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈmɜːs/
- Audio (UK) (file)
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)s

Verb

amerce (third-person singular simple present amerces, present participle amercing, simple past and past participle amerced)

(transitive) To impose a fine on; to fine.
- c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene i]:
  But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine
  That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
- 1754–1762, David Hume, [The History of England ], volume (please specify |volume=1 to 6), London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], 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, →ISBN, 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.
(transitive) To punish; to make an exaction.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554, line 607-10:
  The fellows of his crime, the followers rather
  (Far other once beheld in bliss), condemn'd
  For ever now to have their lot in pain,
  Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc't
- 1821, Lord Byron, Cain‎, Act III, Scene I:
  Thou know'st thou art naked! Must the time
  Come thou shalt be amerced for sins unknown,

Derived terms

amercement

Related terms

mercy

Translations

to impose a fine on — see fine

to make an exaction — see punish

Anagrams

raceme