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 (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)s

Verb

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

1. (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, [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 ], volumes (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^[1], 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.

2. (transitive) To punish; to make an exaction.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book XXI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 607-609:

     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^[2], act III, scene I:

     Thou know'st thou art naked! Must the time
     Come thou shalt be amerced for sins unknown,

Derived terms

• amerceable
• amercement
• amercer
• amercer
• unamerced

 

Related terms

• mercy

Translations

to impose a fine on — see fine

to make an exaction — see punish

Anagrams

• raceme