Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The act of amercing, or the state of being amerced. In law, a pecuniary penalty inflicted on an offender at the discretion of the court. It differs from a fine, in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statute for an offense, while an amercement is arbitrary. The fixing or assessment of the amount of an amercement is called
affecrment . - n. Also written amerciament.
Wiktionary
- n. A non-statutory monetary penalty or forfeiture.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a
fine , in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statute for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See affeer.]
WordNet 3.0
- n. money extracted as a penalty
Etymologies
- amerce + -ment (Wiktionary)
Examples
“Corporal punishment, imprisonment, and amercement resulted; of frequent occurrence were those fearful scenes which culminated in riots such as those of Ilocos in 1807 and”
“This was disallowed by ordinance on pain of amercement, and bakers were admonished, in lieu of such payments, to increase the size of the loaf "to the profit of the public.”
“Sir Neville justice, he could fight like a demon; had abandoned the royal cause when it was hopeless, and, by betraying his sovereign, escaped the usual fate and amercement of malcontent -- the Protector remarking, with a certain solemn humour, "that Sir Neville was an instrument in the hand of the Lord, but that Satan had a share in him, which doubtless he would not fail to claim in due time.”
“Richard Walerond is to make two suits yearly, one at 'La Hockeday,' [10] and one at Michaelmas amercement, to consist of one sextary of wine of the value of sixpence and not more.”
“Dispossess unlawfully or unjustly; oust. emercement (amercement)”
The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing A Manual of Ready Reference
“There was an unjust tax of a few pence, with the chance of amercement by a single judge without a jury; but by no provision of this act was the personal liberty of any man assailed.”
American Eloquence, Volume 2 Studies In American Political History (1896)
“Refusing to do so, he was thereupon summoned to come into the Police Court on the glorious Fourth to show cause why he ought not to pay the amercement.”
“Council excepting innocent non-combatants and their official protector from confiscation or amercement.”
“Page 110 such offense by said ordinance; and no amercement, fine, penalty, forfeiture, escheat, bond, or recognizance, accruing or enuring, in whole or in part, to the State of”
“She desired still to bequeath it to Pierre, not only because of her great kindness for him, but as a sort of self-imposed amercement upon her house for the death of his father.”
Tweets
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knitandpurl ""Indeed not, my lord." Sir Rowley seemed affronted by the idea. "Or not more than usual. But if the lady is to conduct an unofficial inquest, it might subject both town and priory to punitive taxes—I don't say it will, but the regular amercements, confiscations of goods, et cetera might apply.""
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin, p 69 of the Berkley paperback edition Feb 24, 2012