mercé

Shortening of mercede.

• IPA^(key): /merˈt͡ʃe/, [mer̺ˈt͡ʃe]
• Rhymes: -e
• Hyphenation: mer‧cé

mercé f (invariable)

1. (archaic) recompense

   Synonyms: mercede, premio, ricompensa

   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Purgatorio [The Divine Comedy: Purgatory] (paperback), Bompiani, published 2001, Canto XX, lines 34–39, page 297:

     «O anima che tanto ben favelle, ¶ dimmi chi fosti», dissi, «e perché sola ¶ tu queste degne lode rinovelle. ¶ Non fia sanza mercé la tua parola, ¶ s’io ritorno a compiér lo cammin corto ¶ di quella vita ch’al termine vola».

     "O soul that dost so excellently speak, tell me who wast thou," said I, "and why only thou dost renew these praises well deserved? Not without recompense shall be thy word, if I return to finish the short journey of that life which is flying to its end."

2. (archaic, rare) merit

   Synonyms: mercede, merito

3. (dated) help, mercy, grace

   Synonyms: aiuto, grazia, pietà

   mercé di ― by grace of

   essere alla mercé di qualcuno ― to be at someone's mercy

   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Paradiso, Le Monnier, published 2002, Canto XV, lines 49–54, page 272–273:

     […] Grato e lontano digiuno, ¶ tratto leggendo dal magno volume ¶ du’ non si muta mai bianco né bruno, ¶ 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, drawn from the reading of the mighty volume wherein is never changed the white nor dark, thou hast appeased, my son, within this light in which I speak to thee, by grace of her who to this lofty flight with plumage clothed thee.

   • 1353, Giovanni Boccaccio, “Giornata decima, Novella IV [The Tenth Day, Fourth Story]”, in Decamerone [Decameron]‎, Tommaso Hedlin, published 1527, page 254:

     Voi la voſtra merce havete honorato il mio convito, & io voglio honorar voi alla perſeſca moſtrandovi la piu cara coſa, ch'io habbia nel mondo, o che io debbia haver mai.

     You, [by] your grace, have honored my banquet, and I wish to honor you in the Persian way, by showing you what I hold most dear in this world and ever will.

4. (dated) thanks to, by way of
   • 1374, Francesco Petrarca, “Italia mia, benché ’l parlar sia indarno”, in Il Canzoniere‎, Florence: Andrea Bettini, published 1858, lines 1–6, page 514:

     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 mercè

     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

   • 1516, Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso [Raging Roland]‎, Venice: Printed by Gabriel Giolito, published 1551, Canto VII, page 27:

     ſenza impedimento ¶ Paſſa tra caualieri, e tra pedoni: ¶ Mercè a l’anel, che fuor d’ogni humano 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

5. (dated) A stroke of luck, a fortunate event.

   fu gran mercé se poté aver salva la vita ― he was very lucky to have his life spared (literally, “it was great luck if he could have his life spared”)

mercé! (archaic)

1. have mercy!

   Synonym: pietà!

2. please

   mercé, datemi ascolto ― please, listen to me

   Synonym: per favore

3. thanks, thank you

   Synonym: grazie

   • 1478, Luigi Pulci, Morgante‎, Felice Le Monnier, published 1855, Canto IX, page 164:

     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.

• creme

From Old Occitan [Term?], from Latin merces.

mercé

1. thank you