Merit

n.	1.	The quality or state of deserving well or ill; desert. Here may men see how sin hath his merit. - Chaucer. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought For things that others do; and when we fall, We answer other's merits in our name. - Shak.
	2.	The quality or state of deserving well; worth; excellence. Reputation is . . . oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. - Shak. To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known, And every author's merit, but his own. - Pope.
	3.	Reward deserved; any mark or token of excellence or approbation; as, his teacher gave him ten merits. Those laurel groves, the merits of thy youth. - Prior.
v. t.	1.	To earn by service or performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense; as, to merit punishment. [imp. & p. p. Merited; p. pr. & vb. n. Meriting.]
	2.	To reward.
v. i.	1.	To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit.

Noun	1.	merit - any admirable quality or attribute; "work of great merit" Synonyms: virtue Antonyms: demerit, fault - the quality of being inadequate or falling short of perfection; "they discussed the merits and demerits of her novel"; "he knew his own faults much better than she did"
	2.	merit - the quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance); "there were many children whose deservingness he recognized and rewarded" Synonyms: deservingness, meritoriousness
Verb	1.	merit - be worthy or deserving; "You deserve a promotion after all the hard work you have done" Synonyms: deserve

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