I.nom. sing. merces, Sall. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 27 P.), f. mereo, goods, wares, commodities, merchandise (class.): “invendibili merce oportet ultro emptorem adducere: Proba merx facile emptorem reperit,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 128: “fallaces et fucosae,” Cic. Rab. Post. 14, 40: “peregrina et delicata,” Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 1: “femineae,” for women, Ov. M. 13, 165: “esculenta,” eatables, victuals, Col. 11, 3: “navem mercibus implere,” Juv. 14, 288: “sarmenta quoque in merce sunt,” are an article of merchandise, Plin. 12, 25, 54, § 118: “Arabiae et Indiae,” id. 19, 1, 2, § 7: “mercis sordidae negotiator,” Quint. 1, 12, 17: “in peculiari merce negotiari,” Gai. Inst. 4, 72.—
II. Transf., in gen., a thing (ante-class.).
A. Of persons: “mala merx haec, et callida est,” a bad lot, Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 61; id. Ps. 4, 1, 44; id. Pers. 2, 2, 56.—Plur.: “novi ego illas malas merces,” Plaut. Cas. 3, 6, 23: “o mercis malae!” id. Truc. 2, 4, 58.—