Part 380

<hw>Am`en*ta"ceous</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[LL. <ets>amentaceus</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>Resembling, or consisting of, an ament or aments; <as>as, the chestnut has an <ex>amentaceous</ex> inflorescence</as>.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>Bearing aments; having flowers arranged in aments; <as>as, <ex>amentaceous</ex> plants</as>.</def>

<h1>Amentia</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>A*men"ti*a</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L.]</ety> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>Imbecility; total want of understanding.</def>

<h1>Amentiferous</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>Am`en*tif"er*ous</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>ament</ets>um + <ets>-ferous</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Bearing catkins.</def>

<i>Balfour.</i>

<h1>Amentiform</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>A*men"ti*form</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>amen</ets>tum + <ets>-form</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Shaped like a catkin.</def>

<h1>Amentum</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>A*men"tum</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Amenta</plw> <tt>(#)</tt>.</plu> <def>Same as <er>Ament</er>.</def>

<h1>Amenuse</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>Am"e*nuse</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>amenuisier</ets>. See <er>Minute</er>.]</ety> <def>To lessen.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Amerce</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>A*merce"</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Amerced</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Amercing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OF. <ets>amercier</ets>, fr. <ets>a merci</ets> at the mercy of, liable to a punishment. See <er>Mercy</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; <as>as, the <ex>amerced</ex> the criminal in the sum on the hundred dollars</as>.</def>

<note>&hand; The penalty of fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by <i>in</i>, <i>with</i>, or <i>of</i>.</note>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To punish, in general; to mulct.</def>

<blockquote>Millions of spirits for his fault <b>amerced</b> Of Heaven. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Shall by him be <b>amerced</b> with penance due. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Amerceable</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>A*merce"a*ble</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Liable to be amerced.</def>

<h1>Amercement</h1> <Xpage=48>

<hw>A*merce"ment</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>amerciment</ets>.]</ety> <def>The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a <i>fine</i>,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See <er>Affeer</er>.]</def>

<i>Blackstone.</i>

<note>&hand; This word, in old books, is written <i>amerciament</i>.</note>

<cs><col>Amercement royal</col>, <cd>a penalty imposed on an officer for a misdemeanor in his office.</cd></cs>

<i>Jacobs.</i>

<h1>Amercer</h1> <Xpage=48>