Definitions

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (O. Law) An amercement.
  • noun (Anc. Armor.) A thin-bladed dagger; so called, in the Middle Ages, because used to give the death wound or “mercy” stroke to a fallen adversary.
  • noun (Eccl.) An indulgence as to food or dress granted to a member of a religious order.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun law, obsolete An amercement.
  • noun A thin-bladed dagger, used in the Middle Ages to give the death wound or mercy stroke to a fallen adversary.
  • noun An indulgence as to food or dress granted to a member of a religious order.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin, mercy, compassion; miser wretched + cor, cordis, heart.

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Examples

Comments

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  • blade of mercy is my favorite meaning for this word

    April 25, 2009