I.undeserved (in the adj. mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I. Act., that has not deserved something, undeserving, guiltless, innocent: “delicta majorum immeritus lues, Romane,” Hor. C. 3, 6, 1; “so of persons,” id. ib. 1, 28, 30; Ov. Tr. 2, 274; Quint. 6 praef. § 4; cf. “gens,” Verg. A. 3, 2: “urbes,” Ov. M. 12, 550: “agni,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 211: “locus,” id. Ep. 1, 14, 12: “paries,” id. S. 2, 3, 7: “vestis,” id. C. 1, 17, 28: “arbor,” Prop. 4 (5), 3, 19. “ungues,” id. 2, 4, 3 (13).—With inf.: “virtus recludens immeritis mori Caelum,” Hor. C. 3, 2, 21.—Subst.: inmĕrĭ-tum , i, n., the absence of guilt or desert: “cur tu, obsecro, immerito meo me morti dedere optas?” for no fault of mine, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 18; id. Men. 2, 3, 25.—
II. Pass., that is not deserved, undeserved, unmerited (much less freq.): “laudibus haud immeritis onerare aliquem,” Liv. 4, 13 fin.: “credulus immerita Phasida juvit ope,” Ov. F. 2, 42: “opes,” Mart. 7, 32, 6: “querelae,” Val. Fl. 8, 158.—Hence, adv.: immĕrĭto (inm- ), undeservedly, unjustly, without cause (esp. freq. with a negative): “jam dudum te omnes nos accusare audio Immerito, et me omnium horunc immeritissimo,” Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 60: si praeter opinionem, si immerito, si misera, si ingrata, etc., * Cic. de Or. 2, 79, 322: “haud equidem immerito Cumanae carmine vatis Cautum,” Luc. 8, 824: “ut eos non immerito probaverit sanctissimus censor,” with perfect justice, justly, Quint. 4 praef. § 3; so, “non immerito,” id. 8, 6, 62; 9, 1, 12; 9, 4, 35; 10, 1, 116; Suet. Caes. 55; id. Calig. 10; 51; id. Ner. 13: “neque immerito,” Ter. Ad. 4, 4, 8; Quint. 7 praef. § 2; 7, 7, 1; 10, 1, 27; 11, 2, 1; “12, 10, 75: nec immerito,” id. 2, 8, 1; Sen. Ep. 11 fin.
