At one’s mercy
comp-ssionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s power; comp-ssion, pity, or benevolence:
have mercy on the poor sinner.
the disposition to be comp-ssionate 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, comp-ssion, 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.
at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to:
they were at the mercy of their captors.
also, at one’s mercy.
noun (pl) -cies
comp-ssionate treatment of or att-tude towards an offender, adversary, etc, who is in one’s power or care; clemency; pity
the power to show mercy: to throw oneself on someone’s mercy
a relieving or welcome occurrence or state of affairs: his death was a mercy after weeks of pain
at the mercy of, in the power of
n.
late 12c., “g-d’s forgiveness of his creatures’ offenses,” from old french mercit, merci (9c.) “reward, gift; kindness, grace, pity,” from latin mercedem (nominative merces) “reward, wages, pay hire” (in vulgar latin “favor, pity”), from merx (genitive mercis) “wares, merchandise” (see market (n.)). in church latin (6c.) applied to the heavenly reward of those who show kindness to the helpless.
meaning “disposition to forgive or show comp-ssion” is attested from early 13c. as an interjection, attested from mid-13c. in french largely superseded by miséricorde except as a word of thanks. seat of mercy “golden covering of the ark of the covenant” (1530) is tyndale’s loan-translation of luther’s gnadenstuhl, an inexact rendering of hebrew kapporeth, literally “propitiatory.”
comp-ssion for the miserable. its object is misery. by the atoning sacrifice of christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (gen. 19:19; ex. 20:6; 34:6, 7; ps. 85:10; 86:15, 16). in christ mercy and truth meet together. mercy is also a christian grace (matt. 5:7; 18:33-35).
see: at the mercy of
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