amercement (amersment)

[ ment, a merc hie ment (> ML. a merc i amentum, > E. amerciament ), court. It differs from a fine, in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statute for an offense, while an amercement is arbitrary. The fixing or a e ment of the amount of an amercement is called affeerment. They likewise laid amercements of seventy, fifty, or thirty pounds of tobacco, as the cause was, on every law case throughout the country. Beverley , Virginia, i. 93. [He] mute in misery, eyed my masters here Motionle till the authoritative word Pronounced amercement. 4. A word, a phrase, or an idiom of the Eng originated in the United States. Many so-called American isms are good old English. Davies, Sup. Eng. Glo .