mer ‧ cy /ˈmɜːsi $ ˈmɜːrsi/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1100-1200 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: merci , from Latin merces 'price paid, payment for work' , from merx 'things for sale' ]
1 . [uncountable] if someone shows mercy, they choose to forgive or to be kind to someone who they have the power to hurt or punish:
He showed no mercy to his enemies.
God have mercy on his soul.
beg/cry/plead for mercy
The boy was screaming and begging for mercy.
2 . at the mercy of somebody/something unable to do anything to protect yourself from someone or something:
After the boat’s motor failed, they were at the mercy of the weather.
She was completely at his mercy.
3 . mercy flight/mission etc a journey taken to bring help to people:
a mercy mission to help homeless refugees
4 . leave somebody to sb’s (tender) mercies to let someone be dealt with by another person, who may treat them very badly or strictly – used humorously
5 . throw yourself on sb’s mercy to ask someone to help you or forgive you when you are in a very bad situation
6 . it’s a mercy (that) spoken used to say that it is lucky that a worse situation was avoided:
It’s a mercy the accident happened so near the hospital.
⇨ be thankful/grateful for small mercies at ↑ small 1 (13)
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COLLOCATIONS
■ phrases
▪ have mercy (on somebody) (=act in a kind or forgiving way - often used to express a hope or prayer)
‘God have mercy on me!’ Miss Barton cried.
▪ show mercy (to somebody) (=act in a kind or forgiving way)
He showed no mercy to those who had angered him.
▪ ask for mercy
The only thing I can do now is ask for mercy.
▪ beg/plead for mercy (=ask in a desperate way for someone's mercy)
She continued the punishment, although they begged for mercy.
▪ scream/cry for mercy
He screamed for mercy, shouting 'don't shoot!'.
■ adjectives
▪ great mercy
God in his great mercy has forgiven you.
▪ God's mercy
Will we still receive God's mercy if we refuse to repent?
▪ divine mercy (=the mercy of God)
He did not lose his faith in God and divine mercy.
▪ infinite mercy (=the quality of mercy that God has, which never ends)
He expressed his thanks for the infinite mercy of God in helping him escape from his own sinful life.