amercement

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   historical law: a monetary penalty whose amount was set at the discretion of a court or lord

   The medieval court imposed an amercement for disturbing the king's peace.

From Middle English amercement, based on Anglo-French amercier ('to place at someone's mercy'), from Old French a merci ('at mercy'). A person amerced was left to the court's mercy in determining the amount of the penalty.

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