Crossword clues for amerce
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Amerce \A*merce"\ ([.a]*m[~e]rs"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amerced ([.a]*m[~e]rst"); p. pr. & vb. n. Amercing.] [OF. amercier, fr. a merci at the mercy of, liable to a punishment. See Mercy.]
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To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; as, the court amerced the criminal in the sum of one hundred dollars.
Note: The penalty or fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by in, with, or of.
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To punish, in general; to mulct.
Millions of spirits for his fault amerced Of Heaven.
--Milton.Shall by him be amerced with penance due.
--Spenser.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1215, earlier amercy, Anglo-French amercier "to fine," from merci "mercy, grace" (see mercy). The legal phrase estre a merci "to be at the mercy of" (a tribunal, etc.) was corrupted to estre amercié in an example of how a legalese adverbial phrase can become a verb (see abandon). The sense often was "to fine arbitrarily."\n\nFrans hom ne seit amerciez pour petit forfet.
[Magna Charta]
\nRelated: Amercement; amerciable.Wiktionary
vb. 1 (context transitive English) To impose a fine on; to fine. 2 (context transitive English) To punish; to make an exaction.
WordNet
v. punish with an arbitrary penalty
punish by a fine imposed arbitrarily by the discretion of the court
Usage examples of "amerce".
Earls and barons shall not be amerced except through their peers, and only in accordance with the degree of the offense.
I cannot recollect now, and could not render into English were I to recall them, should, upon complaint of the person aggrieved, and upon proof of the offence by the evidence of worthy and truth-speaking witnesses, be amerced in such penalty, not exceeding a certain sum, as in the estimation of the presiding magistrate should be held to be a proper compensation for the injury to his reputation suffered by the plaintiff.
Then the cure, finding himself thus amerced in fines and amends, said to the judge.
One of their measures has been questioned as unwise and impolitic -- that, namely, for amercing and confiscating the estates of certain of the loyalists, and for banishing the most obnoxious among them.
One of their measures has been questioned as unwise and impolitic -- that, namely, for amercing and confiscating the estates of certain of the loyalists, and for banishing the most obnoxious among them.
A freeman shall not be amerced (punished by fine, punished arbitrarily) for a slight offense, except in accordance with the degree of the offense.
Earls and barons shall not be amerced except through their peers, and only in accordance with the degree of the offense.
A clerk shall not be amerced in respect of his lay holding except after the manner of the others aforesaid.
A freeman shall not be amerced for a slight offense, except in accordance with the degree of the offense.
A clerk shall not be amerced in respect of his lay holding except after the manner of the others aforesaid.
He staid there some time, in consequence of an edict he had published, ordering all who had not paid the sums in which they were amerced, to repair to him thither.
Accordingly, he amerced them in two hundred thousand sesterces, to be paid to the republic, at six equal payments, within the space of three years.
Cruel his eye, but cast Signs of remorse and passion, to behold The fellows of his crime, the followers rather (Far other once beheld in bliss), condemned For ever now to have their lot in pain-- Millions of Spirits for his fault amerced Of Heaven, and from eteranl splendours flung For his revolt--yet faithful how they stood, Their glory withered.
All those suspected of illegal profits at the time the public delusion was at its height, were sought out and amerced in heavy fines.
But if servants misbehave themselves, or leave their places, not being regularly discharged, they ought to be amerced or punished.