Unduly lenient means excessively showing tolerance or mercy in dealing with crime or misbehavior. In other words, taking it too easy on the criminal.
SCRUPULOUS CONSCIENCEAn erroneous conscience when the mind is unduly swayed by fear and judges that something is wrong that in fact is lawful.
Lenient: adj.: To go easy on someone or something. To be patient, kind and gentle.
Unduly means in an unjustifiable manner or to an excessive degree. She unduly worried about her test score and her grade for the class.
The phrase "unduly harsh" refers to a situation where something is considered excessively severe or cruel beyond what is necessary or justified. It suggests a level of harshness that is disproportionate to the circumstances.
Because the courts were lenient with them. They usually let them get away with just a fine. The judges were rich men.
Can mean unduly long and slender, straight and limp. Hair would be straight and lank, without curls
The opposite could be strict (not lenient), or harsh (the reverse of lenient).
The antonym of lenient is strict.
Like most words that end in -ly, unduly is an adverb.
The legislature(s) introduced mandatory sentencing in an effort to make sentencing more equal for the same offenses, and to thwart lenient sentences by 'bleeding heart' judges.
1. immoderately; excessively2. in contradiction of moral or legal standardsso1. she was unduly optimistic
Go with your confession. Most judges are lenient to "honesty is the best policy". Then swear you'll never do it again, and that it was a mistake... It worked for me!