Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - mete

 I. transitive verb  (~d; meting)  Etymology: Middle English, from Old English metan; akin to Old High German mezzan to measure, Latin modus measure, Greek medesthai to be mindful of  Date: before 12th century  1. archaic measure  2. to give out by measure ; dole — usually used with out ~ out punishment  II. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin meta  Date: 15th century boundary ~s and bounds