amerce

amerce
amerce (v.) 1215, earlier amercy, Anglo-Fr. amercier "to fine," from merci "mercy, grace" (see MERCY (Cf. 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 (Cf. ABANDON (Cf. abandon)). The sense often was "to fine arbitrarily."
Frans hom ne seit amerciez pour petit forfet. [Magna Charta]
Related: Amercement; amerciable.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • amerce — amerce; amerce·ment; …   English syllables

  • 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}.] 1. To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • amerce — index fine, mulct (fine), penalize, punish Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • amerce — fine, mulct, *penalize …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • amerce — [ə mʉrs′] vt. amerced, amercing [ME amercen < Anglo Fr amercier < OFr a merci, at the mercy of] 1. to punish by imposing an arbitrarily determined fine 2. to punish generally amercement n …   English World dictionary

  • amerce — transitive verb (amerced; amercing) Etymology: Middle English amercien, from Anglo French amercier, from Old French a merci at (one s) mercy Date: 15th century to punish by a fine whose amount is fixed by the court; broadly punish • amercement… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • amerce — amerceable, adj. amercement, n. amercer, n. /euh merrs /, v.t., amerced, amercing. 1. to punish by imposing a fine not fixed by statute. 2. to punish by inflicting any discretionary or arbitrary penalty. [1250 1300; ME amercy < AF amerci(er) to… …   Universalium

  • amerce — verb /əˈmɜːs/ a) To impose a fine on; to fine. b) To punish, to make an exaction …   Wiktionary

  • Amerce — To impose a fine, of the kind imposed by a lord of the *manor. [< AnNor. amercier, a merci = at (the) mercy (of another)] Cf. Amercement …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • amerce — (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb To impose a fine on: fine2, mulct, penalize. See REWARD …   English dictionary for students

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