com-mĕrĕo, ŭi, ĭtum, 2, v. a., to merit fully, to deserve something; usu. in a bad sense.
I Prop.: interrogabatur reus, quam quasi aestimationem commeruisse se maxime confiteretur, Cic. de Or. 1, 54, 232: poenam, Ov. Tr. 2, 4: numquam sciens commerui merito ut caperet odium illam mei, Ter. Hec. 580.—
II Meton. (with culpam, etc.; antecedens pro consequenti; prop. to earn, acquire, bring to or upon one's self), to err in something , to commit an offence or crime , be guilty of , perpetrate (mostly ante-class.): noxiam, Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 56: aliquem Castigare pro conmeritā noxiā, id. Trin. 1, 1, 4: culpam in se, id. Merc. 4, 6, 10: quid ego de te conmerui mali? id. Aul. 4, 10, 5: neque te conmeruisse culpam, id. Capt. 2, 3, 43; so, culpam, Ter. Phorm. 207: commerere in se aliquid mali, Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 59; cf.: quid commerui aut peccavi? Ter. And. 139; cf.: quid placidae commeruistis oves? Ov. F. 1, 362.