LENIENCY

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does leniency mean? 

• LENIENCY (noun)
  The noun LENIENCY has 3 senses:

1. mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant

2. a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone

3. lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore by judges or parents or teachers

  Familiarity information: LENIENCY used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LENIENCY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

lenience; leniency; lenity; mildness

Hypernyms ("leniency" is a kind of...):

mercifulness; mercy (a disposition to be kind and forgiving)

Derivation:

lenient (characterized by tolerance and mercy)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A disposition to yield to the wishes of someone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

indulgence; lenience; leniency

Context example:

too much indulgence spoils a child

Hypernyms ("leniency" is a kind of...):

permissiveness; tolerance (a disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leniency"):

softness (a disposition to be lenient in judging others)

Derivation:

lenient (tolerant or lenient)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore by judges or parents or teachers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

lenience; leniency

Hypernyms ("leniency" is a kind of...):

tolerance (the act of tolerating something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leniency"):

clemency; mercifulness; mercy (leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice)

Derivation:

lenient (not strict)

 Context examples 

Yet he had a reputation for kindness and charity on the country-side, and was noted for the leniency of his sentences from the bench.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)