Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Clemency

A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. It is granted by a head of state, such as a monarch or president, or by a competent church authority. Clemency is an associated term, meaning the lessening of the penalty of the crime without forgiving the crime itself. The act of clemency is a reprieve.

talk nineteen to the dozen

  to speak rapidly and without stopping