mercy

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.
2. n. A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.
3. n. Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.
4. n. Alleviation of distress; relief: Taking in the refugees was an act of mercy.
5. idiom. at the mercy of Without any protection against; helpless before: drifting in an open boat, at the mercy of the elements.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Pitying forbearance or forgiveness; compassionate leniency toward enemies or wrongdoers; the disposition to treat offenders kindly or tenderly; the exercise of clemency in favor of an offender.
2. n. An act or exercise of forbearance, good will, or favor; also, a kindness undeserved or unexpected; a fortunate or providential circumstance; a blessing: as, it is a mercy that they escaped.
3. n. Pity; compassion; benevolence: as, awork of mercy.
4. n. Discretionary action; unrestrained exercise of the will and the power to punish and to spare: as, to be at one's mercy (that is, wholly in one's power).
5. n. To proclaim a tax.
6. n. Synonyms Clemency, etc. See leniency.
7. To thank.
8. To fine; amerce.
9. n. In criminal law, partial remission of a punishment to which a convict is subject, as distinguished from pardon, or total remission.

Wiktionary

1. n. uncountable relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another
2. n. uncountable forgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.
3. n. uncountable A tendency toward forgiveness, pity, or compassion
4. n. countable Instances of forbearance or forgiveness.
5. n. A blessing, something to be thankful for.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency.
2. n. Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes, favor, beneficence.
3. n. Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to spare or to help.
4. n. A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a disposition to be kind and forgiving
2. n. the feeling that motivates compassion
3. n. something for which to be thankful
4. n. alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed
5. n. leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice