different between mercy vs release

English

Etymology

From Middle English mercy, merci, from Anglo-Norman merci (compare continental Old French merci, mercit), from Latin merc?s (“wages, fee, price”), from merx (“wares, merchandise”). Displaced native Middle English are, ore (“mercy”) (from Old English ?r (“mercy, grace”), > Scots are (“mercy, grace”)), Middle English mildse (“mercy, clemency”) (from Old English milds, milts (“mercy, kindness”)). See milse.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m??si/
• (General American) enPR: mûr?s?, IPA^(key): /?m?si/
• Rhymes: -??(?)si
• Hyphenation: mer?cy

Noun

mercy (countable and uncountable, plural mercies)

1. (uncountable) Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.

   Antonyms: mercilessness, ruthlessness, cruelty

2. (uncountable) Forgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.

3. (uncountable) A tendency toward forgiveness, pity, or compassion.

4. (countable) Instances of forbearance or forgiveness.

5. (countable) A blessing; something to be thankful for.

Derived terms

• bemercy
• merciful
• merciless

Related terms

• mercy me
• at the mercy of
• have mercy

Translations

Verb

mercy (third-person singular simple present mercies, present participle mercying, simple past and past participle mercied)

1. To feel mercy
2. To show mercy; to pardon or treat leniently because of mercy

Interjection

mercy

1. Expressing surprise or alarm.

   Mercy! Look at the state of you!

Further reading

• mercy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• mercy in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Middle English

Etymology

From Old French mercier.

Verb

mercy

1. Alternative form of mercien
   • c. 1385, William Langland, Piers Plowman, III:

     Mildeliche Mede þanne · mercyed hem alle / Of þeire gret goodnesse.

Middle French

Noun

mercy m or f (plural mercys)

1. mercy (relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another)

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???li?s/
• Rhymes: -i?s

Noun

release (countable and uncountable, plural releases)

1. The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).
2. (software) The distribution of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product; the distribution can be either public or private.
3. Anything recently released or made available (as for sale).

4. That which is released, untied or let go.

5. (law) The giving up of a claim, especially a debt.
6. Liberation from pain or suffering.
7. (biochemistry) The process by which a chemical substance is set free.
8. (phonetics, sound synthesis) The act or manner of ending a sound.
9. (railways, historical) In the block system, a printed card conveying information and instructions to be used at intermediate sidings without telegraphic stations.
10. A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required.
    1. A catch on a motor-starting rheostat, which automatically releases the rheostat arm and so stops the motor in case of a break in the field circuit.
    2. The catch on an electromagnetic circuit breaker for a motor, triggered in the event of an overload.
    3. The lever or button on a camera that opens the shutter to allow a photograph to be taken
11. Orgasm.

12. (music) A kind of bridge used in jazz music.

Compounds

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

release (third-person singular simple present releases, present participle releasing, simple past and past participle released)

1. To let go (of); to cease to hold or contain.

2. To make available to the public.

3. To free or liberate; to set free.

4. To discharge.

5. (telephony) (of a call) To hang up.

6. (law) To let go, as a legal claim; to discharge or relinquish a right to, as lands or tenements, by conveying to another who has some right or estate in possession, as when the person in remainder releases his right to the tenant in possession; to quit.
7. To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of.
   • 1594, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

     punishments inflicted and released

8. (soccer) To set up; to provide with a goal-scoring opportunity
9. (biochemistry) To set free a chemical substance.
10. (intransitive) to come out; be out.

Antonyms

• hold

Translations

Etymology 2

re- +? lease

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?i??li?s/
• Rhymes: -i?s

Verb

release (third-person singular simple present releases, present participle releasing, simple past and past participle released)

1. (transitive) To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.

Translations