v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amerced p. pr. & vb. n. Amercing. ] [ OF. amercier, fr. a merci at the mercy of, liable to a punishment. See Mercy. ] 1. To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; as, the court amerced the criminal in the sum of one hundred dollars. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The penalty or fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by in, with, or of. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To punish, in general; to mulct. [ 1913 Webster ]

Millions of spirits for his fault amerced
Of Heaven. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shall by him be amerced with penance due. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Liable to be amerced. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. amerciment. ] 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. ] Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word, in old books, is written amerciament. [ 1913 Webster ]

Amercement royal, a penalty imposed on an officer for a misdemeanor in his office. Jacobs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who amerces. [ 1913 Webster ]