/merˈt͡ʃe/
OrigineClipping of mercede. Doublet of mersì.
- archaic, feminine, invariablerecompense
“Non fia sanza mercé la tua parola,
s’io ritorno a compiér lo cammin corto
di quella vita ch’al termine vola […]” — Not without recompense shall be thy word, if I return to finish the short journey of that life which is flying to its end."
- archaic, feminine, invariable, raremerit
- dated, feminine, invariablehelp, mercy, grace
“mercé di” — by grace of
“essere alla mercé di qualcuno” — to be at someone's mercy
“[…] Grato e lontano digiuno,
[…]
solvuto hai, figlio, dentro a questo lume
in ch’io ti parlo, mercé di colei
ch’a l’alto volo ti vestì le piume.” — Hunger long and grateful you have appeased, my son, within this light in which I speak to you, by grace of her who to this lofty flight with plumage clothed you.
- dated, feminine, invariablethanks to, by way of
“Cesare taccio che per ogni piaggia
fece l’erbe sanguigne
di lor vene, ove ’l nostro ferro mise.
Or par, non so per che stelle maligne,
che ’l cielo in odio n’aggia:
vostra mercé […]” — I’ll say nothing of Caesar who painted the grass crimson with their blood, where he raised the sword. Now it seems, no one knows by what evil star, heaven hates us: all thanks to you
“[…] senza impedimento
passa tra cavallieri e tra pedoni,
mercé all’annel che fuor d’ogni uman uso
la fa sparir quando l’è in bocca chiuso.” — She passes without obstacles through the knights and soldiers, thanks to the ring, that, in a non-human way, makes her disappear when kept in the mouth
- dated, feminine, invariablea stroke of luck, a fortunate event
“fu gran mercé se poté aver salva la vita” — he was very lucky to have his life spared
- archaichave mercy!
- archaicplease
“mercé, datemi ascolto” — please, listen to me
- archaicthanks, thank you
“Al gallo parve che fussi un bel giuoco:
Gran mercè, disse, che insegnato m’hai;
e chiuse gli occhi e cominciò a cantare,
perchè la volpe lo stessi ascoltare.” — The rooster thought it was a fine game. "Many thanks, he said, "for you have taught me". He closed his eyes and started singing, so that the fox could listen to him.