Legal Definitions - mete out

To mete out means to formally distribute or assign something, typically a consequence, punishment, or a specific measure of justice, in a deliberate and often authoritative manner.

• Example 1: After a lengthy investigation into a company's financial misconduct, the Securities and Exchange Commission decided to mete out a substantial fine and impose strict new regulations on its operations.

  Explanation: Here, the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting as an authoritative body, is formally distributing a punishment (a fine and new regulations) as a consequence of the company's actions.

• Example 2: Following a serious breach of ethical guidelines by one of its members, the professional licensing board convened to determine the appropriate disciplinary action and ultimately mete out a temporary suspension of their license.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the licensing board, with its authority, is formally assigning a specific consequence (a temporary suspension) to the member who violated professional standards.

• Example 3: During a community mediation session, the neutral facilitator worked diligently to help the feuding neighbors reach a compromise, hoping to mete out a fair resolution that addressed both parties' concerns about property boundaries.

  Explanation: This example illustrates the act of carefully distributing or assigning a fair and balanced resolution to a dispute, even in a less formal setting, by a person in an authoritative or guiding role.