compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.
the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.
the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.
an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.
something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.
Idioms for mercy
at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to: They were at the mercy of their captors.Also at one's mercy.
Origin of mercy
1125–75; Middle English merci<Old French, earlier mercit<Latin mercēd- (stem of mercēs) wages (Late Latin, Medieval Latin: heavenly reward), derivative of merx goods
Without a direct avenue to customers, Apple has been at the mercy of third-party sellers.
Apple’s iPhone sales have lagged in India for years. It’s only now unleashing its branding firepower|Grady McGregor|September 6, 2020|Fortune
When Mulan finally meets her, the witch says, “When they find out who you are, they will show you no mercy.”
Women like Mulan didn’t need to go to war in disguise|Bethany Brookshire|September 4, 2020|Science News For Students
However, since their existing upfront deals did not provide pandemic-related escape clauses and the advertisers were at the mercy of the networks to excuse them.
‘Kind of squishy’: Advertisers lobby to add pandemic clauses to TV upfront deals|Tim Peterson|September 1, 2020|Digiday
The city was at the mercy of its own bureaucracy and individual family members who made up the trust had different views of what they should do with the property.
The Deal Before the 101 Ash St. Debacle Helps Explain How We Got Here|Lisa Halverstadt and Jesse Marx|August 24, 2020|Voice of San Diego
So we will never again be at the mercy of China and other foreign countries in order to protect our own people.
Biden faults Trump for mismanaging coronavirus in convention speech|Chris Johnson|August 21, 2020|Washington Blade
But give the Kingdom credit for its sense of mercy: The lashes will be administered only 50 at a time.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If mercy is not preached by a national figure we take seriously, our battles over policy power will grow ever more merciless.
No Gods, No Cops, No Masters|James Poulos|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Policy is about wielding power, while mercy is about transcending power by renouncing it.
No Gods, No Cops, No Masters|James Poulos|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Canned drinks like Mercy contain up 5,000 percent of the daily value of certain vitamins.