merit
mer|it /m'erɪt/ (merits meriting merited)
1 [N-UNCOUNT] usu with supp
If something has merit, it has good or worthwhile qualities.
The argument seemed to have considerable merit...
Box-office success mattered more than artistic merit...
2 [N-PLURAL] usu with poss
The merits of something are its advantages or other good points.
...the technical merits of a film...
3 [VERB] V n
If someone or something merits a particular action or treatment, they deserve it. (FORMAL)
He said he had done nothing wrong to merit a criminal investigation...
= deserve
4 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you judge something or someone on merit or on their merits, your judgment is based on what you notice when you consider them, rather than on things that you know about them from other sources.
Everybody is selected on merit...
Each case is judged on its merits.
1 [N-UNCOUNT] usu with supp
If something has merit, it has good or worthwhile qualities.
The argument seemed to have considerable merit...
Box-office success mattered more than artistic merit...
2 [N-PLURAL] usu with poss
The merits of something are its advantages or other good points.
...the technical merits of a film...
3 [VERB] V n
If someone or something merits a particular action or treatment, they deserve it. (FORMAL)
He said he had done nothing wrong to merit a criminal investigation...
= deserve
4 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you judge something or someone on merit or on their merits, your judgment is based on what you notice when you consider them, rather than on things that you know about them from other sources.
Everybody is selected on merit...
Each case is judged on its merits.