What does MERCY mean?

noun

1. 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. a disposition to be kind and forgiving“in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband”
3. the feeling that motivates compassion
4. something for which to be thankful“it was a mercy we got out alive”
5. alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed“distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy”