LENITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does lenity mean? 

• LENITY (noun)
  The noun LENITY has 1 sense:

1. mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant

  Familiarity information: LENITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LENITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

lenience; leniency; lenity; mildness

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

mercifulness; mercy (a disposition to be kind and forgiving)

 Context examples 

He confined the knowledge of governing within very narrow bounds, to common sense and reason, to justice and lenity, to the speedy determination of civil and criminal causes; with some other obvious topics, which are not worth considering.

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

This envoy had instructions to represent to the monarch of Blefuscu, the great lenity of his master, who was content to punish me no farther than with the loss of mine eyes; that I had fled from justice; and if I did not return in two hours, I should be deprived of my title of nardac, and declared a traitor.

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

Yet, as to myself, I must confess, having never been designed for a courtier, either by my birth or education, I was so ill a judge of things, that I could not discover the lenity and favour of this sentence, but conceived it (perhaps erroneously) rather to be rigorous than gentle.

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

It was a custom introduced by this prince and his ministry (very different, as I have been assured, from the practice of former times,) that after the court had decreed any cruel execution, either to gratify the monarch’s resentment, or the malice of a favourite, the emperor always made a speech to his whole council, expressing his great lenity and tenderness, as qualities known and confessed by all the world.

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

That if his majesty, in consideration of your services, and pursuant to his own merciful disposition, would please to spare your life, and only give orders to put out both your eyes, he humbly conceived, that by this expedient justice might in some measure be satisfied, and all the world would applaud the lenity of the emperor, as well as the fair and generous proceedings of those who have the honour to be his counsellors.

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

In three days your friend the secretary will be directed to come to your house, and read before you the articles of impeachment; and then to signify the great lenity and favour of his majesty and council, whereby you are only condemned to the loss of your eyes, which his majesty does not question you will gratefully and humbly submit to; and twenty of his majesty’s surgeons will attend, in order to see the operation well performed, by discharging very sharp-pointed arrows into the balls of your eyes, as you lie on the ground.

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

In the several debates upon this impeachment, it must be confessed that his majesty gave many marks of his great lenity; often urging the services you had done him, and endeavouring to extenuate your crimes.

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