DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
A·merce v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amerced p. pr. & vb. n. Amercing.]
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.
Note: ☞ The penalty or fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by in, with, or of.
2. To punish, in general; to mulct.
Millions of spirits for his fault amerced
Of Heaven. --Milton.
Shall by him be amerced with penance due. --Spenser.
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amerce
v 1: punish with an arbitrary penalty
2: punish by a fine imposed arbitrarily by the discretion of
the court