Dictionary entries for 'amerce'

Synonyms

fine
mulct
penalize

a·merce (ə-mûrś)

[Middle English amercen, from Anglo-Norman amercier, from à merci, at the mercy of, à, to (from Latin ad; see ad–), + merci, mercy (from Latin mercēs, wages).]

transitive verb: a·merced, a·merc·ing, a·merc·es.

Law To punish by a fine imposed arbitrarily at the discretion of the court.
To punish by imposing an arbitrary penalty.

derivatives

a·mercéa·ble: adjective
a·mercément: noun

transitive verb: a·merced, a·merc·ing, a·merc·es.

derivatives

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition