CLEMENCY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does clemency mean? 

• CLEMENCY (noun)
  The noun CLEMENCY has 2 senses:

1. good weather with comfortable temperatures

2. leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice

  Familiarity information: CLEMENCY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLEMENCY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Good weather with comfortable temperatures

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

clemency; mildness

Hypernyms ("clemency" is a kind of...):

good weather (weather suitable for outdoor activities)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "clemency"):

balminess; softness (the quality of weather that is deliciously mild and soothing)

Derivation:

clement ((of weather or climate) physically mild)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

clemency; mercifulness; mercy

Context example:

he threw himself on the mercy of the court

Hypernyms ("clemency" is a kind of...):

lenience; leniency (lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore by judges or parents or teachers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "clemency"):

commutation; re-sentencing ((law) the reduction in severity of a punishment imposed by law)

amnesty; free pardon; pardon (the formal act of liberating someone)

quarter (clemency or mercy shown to a defeated opponent)

reprieve; respite (the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment)

Derivation:

clement ((used of persons or behavior) inclined to show mercy)

 Context examples 

Oh, Frankenstein, be not equitable to every other and trample upon me alone, to whom thy justice, and even thy clemency and affection, is most due.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

But the knowledge would have been useless here; it was not called for; neither clemency nor dignity was put to the trial—Eleanor brought no message.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

She supposed she must say more before she were entitled to his clemency; but it was a hard case to be obliged still to lower herself in his opinion.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But in justice to this prince’s great clemency, and the care he has of his subjects’ lives (wherein it were much to be wished that the Monarchs of Europe would imitate him), it must be mentioned for his honour, that strict orders are given to have the infected parts of the floor well washed after every such execution, which, if his domestics neglect, they are in danger of incurring his royal displeasure.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Willoughby could not hear of her marriage without a pang; and his punishment was soon afterwards complete in the voluntary forgiveness of Mrs. Smith, who, by stating his marriage with a woman of character, as the source of her clemency, gave him reason for believing that had he behaved with honour towards Marianne, he might at once have been happy and rich.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I treated the rest in the same manner, taking them one by one out of my pocket; and I observed both the soldiers and people were highly delighted at this mark of my clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage at court.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

They are bred up in the principles of honour, justice, courage, modesty, clemency, religion, and love of their country; they are always employed in some business, except in the times of eating and sleeping, which are very short, and two hours for diversions consisting of bodily exercises.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)