lenient
Use Lenient in a sentence
ni adjective
1.
agreeably tolerant; permissive; indulgent: He tended to be lenient toward the children. More lenient laws encouraged greater freedom of expression.
2.
Archaic. softening, soothing, or alleviative.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To lenient
00:10
Lenient
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
lenient (ˈliːnɪənt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | showing or characterized by mercy or tolerance |
| 2. | archaic caressing or soothing |
| [C17: from Latin lēnīre to soothe, from lēnis soft] | |
| 'leniency | |
| —n | |
| 'lenience | |
| —n | |
| 'leniently | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
lenient
1650s, "relaxing, soothing," from M.Fr. lenient, from L. lenientem (nom. leniens), prp. of lenire "to soften, alleviate, mitigate, allay, calm," from lenis "mild, gentle, calm," probably from PIE base *le(i)- "to leave, yield" (cf. Lith. lenas "quiet, tranquil, tame, slow," O.C.S. lena "lazy," L. lassus
"faint, weary," O.E. læt "sluggish, slow," lætan "to leave behind"). Sense of "mild, merciful" (of persons) first recorded 1787. In earlier use was lenitive, attested from 1540s of medicines, 1610s of persons.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Prosecutors also appealed, saying the sentence was too lenient.
Even more important, prosecutors have the right to ask for lenient sentences when the accused has been especially co-operative.
The lenient shepherd may find his flock unruly, defiant.
Bosses are going to be much more likely to be lenient to workers they already value than ones that annoy them.
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