mercy

miséricorde, clémence

Bonté qui pousse à pardonner quelqu’un ou à lui épargner une souffrance ou une punition.

En anglais simple : Kindness that makes you forgive someone or avoid hurting or punishing them.

• The prisoner begged for mercy.
• The judge showed mercy to the young thief.
• They fought without mercy.

Comment l'utiliser : have mercy on someone (Please have mercy on him.); show mercy to someone (The ruler showed mercy to the prisoners.)

Synonymes : compassion, leniency, clemency

Contraires : cruelty

Expressions courantes : show mercy, have mercy, beg for mercy, without mercy

merci

Situation où l’on ne peut se protéger de quelqu’un ou de quelque chose dont on dépend entièrement.

En anglais simple : Being unable to protect yourself from someone or something that controls what happens to you.

• We were at the mercy of the weather.
• The villagers remained at the mercy of the soldiers.
• Without savings, she was at the mercy of her employer.

Comment l'utiliser : at the mercy of someone/something (The small boat was at the mercy of the waves.)

Expressions courantes : at the mercy

consolation, chance

Chose qui, heureusement, rend une situation pénible moins douloureuse ou difficile.

En anglais simple : Something that makes a bad situation less painful or difficult.

• It was a mercy that nobody was hurt.
• The cool weather was a small mercy.
• We should be grateful for small mercies.

Comment l'utiliser : it is a mercy that… (It is a mercy that the children are safe.)

Synonymes : blessing, relief

Expressions courantes : small mercy, a mercy

miséricorde, compassion

Bonté et pardon envers les autres, surtout ceux qui vivent dans des conditions difficiles.

En anglais simple : Kindness and forgiveness, especially towards people whose lives are difficult.

• Have mercy on those who are hungry.
• She prayed for forgiveness and mercy.
• His mercy towards the poor inspired others to help.

Comment l'utiliser : mercy towards someone (They showed mercy towards the homeless.)

Synonymes : compassion, kindness

Contraires : cruelty

Expressions courantes : have mercy, divine mercy, mercy for someone

aide humanitaire

Qualifie un voyage ou une opération visant à aider des personnes en grande difficulté.

En anglais simple : Used to describe a journey or operation to help people in serious need.

• They left on a mercy mission.
• A mercy flight brought medicine to the island.
• Volunteers joined the mercy operation after the flood.

Synonymes : humanitarian

Expressions courantes : mercy mission, mercy flight, mercy operation

mon Dieu

Exclamation employée quand on est surpris ou effrayé.

En anglais simple : An expression used when you are surprised or frightened.

• Mercy, that gave me a fright!
• Oh, mercy! What a terrible mess!
• Mercy me, how much you have grown!

Synonymes : goodness, heavens

Expressions courantes : mercy me, oh mercy