Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MER'IT, v.t. [Fr. meriter; L. merito.]

1. To deserve; to earn by active service, or by any valuable performance; to have a right to claim reward in money, regard, honor or happiness. Watts, by his writings, merited the gratitude of the whole Christian world. The faithful laborer merits his wages. A man at best is incapable of meriting any thing from God. South.
2. To deserve; to have a just title to. Fidelity merits and usually obtains confidence.
3. To deserve, in an ill sense; to have a just title to. Every violation of law merits punishment. Every sin merits God's displeasure.