To formally distribute or dispense something, especially punishment or justice.
To give out punishment or a reward in an official or serious way.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To officially give or impose a punishment or penalty.
"The judge meted out a ten-year sentence to each of the convicted conspirators."
"The punishment meted out to whistleblowers sends a chilling message to others."
— The Guardian, 2013 (reporting on Edward Snowden case coverage)
To dispense justice, treatment, or rewards in a measured, deliberate way.
"History has not meted out equal credit to the women who contributed to the discovery."
'Mete' is an archaic verb meaning to measure and distribute; 'out' signals distribution. Together: to measure and give out an allotted share.
To give out punishment or a reward in an official or serious way.
Almost always collocates with 'punishment', 'justice', 'penalties', or occasionally 'rewards'. Rarely used in everyday conversation; found mainly in journalism, legal writing, and formal speeches. The verb 'mete' does not appear independently in modern English.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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