The noun mercy has 5 senses (first 3 from tagged texts)
1. (4) 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")
2. (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. (1) mercifulness, mercy -- (the feeling that motivates compassion)
4. mercy -- (something for which to be thankful; "it was a mercy we got out alive")
5. mercy -- (alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed; "distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy")