1. (

• mercifulness ,
• mercy

) the feeling that motivates compassion ;

2. (

• mercifulness ,
• mercy

) a disposition to be kind and forgiving; "in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband" ;

3. (

• clemency ,
• mercifulness ,
• mercy

) leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; "he threw himself on the mercy of the court" ;