at the mercy of

Also, at someone's mercy . Subject to the power of, helpless against, as in The captured rebels were at the mercy of the army commander . [Late 1500s]
Without any protection against, as in On top of Mount Washington we were at the mercy of the elements . [Late 1600s]

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Example Sentences

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Parents like the Mbasanas, stuck in the townships and often at the mercy of gangs, have run out of patience.

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The law firms express implicitly the idea that they recognize the president’s power to act without constraints of law and therefore put themselves permanently at the mercy of the president, which makes it ethically impossible for those firms to represent individuals or companies that are adverse to the federal government.

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Billionaire businessman Johann Rupert, also an Afrikaner, pointed out that the highest murder rate in South Africa was in the townships of Cape Town, where most residents are black or coloured - as mixed-race people are known in South Africa - and are at the mercy of violent gangs.

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Reaching Pagasa is a two-to-three-day boat ride from the Philippines island of Palawan, or a one-hour plane ride, but both are at the mercy of frequent stormy weather.

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Romane Codou, a lawyer representing several victims, told French media that his admission of guilt had "appeased" the victims and "allowed them to shut the door on an awful debate in which we were at the mercy of Joel Le Scouarnec".

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at the least at the most

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