Definition of "leniency" []

• The condition or quality of being lenient. See Synonyms at mercy. (noun)
• A lenient act. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Appealing against what they called the leniency of the punishment, prosecutors are to now seek that Zana be re-tried on the grounds that she should have been given prison sentences of five years for each of the nine speeches she had made."
• "But occasionally a situation arises where leniency is required, depending on the context of the case, and a judge may impose a shorter or lighter sentence."
• "If leniency is to be applied to sit the delegates, whoever violated these rules by leaving their names on ballot ... the ratio should be for violators 1/3 to 2/3 votes for non violators."