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Just

 - 11 dictionary results

just

1[juhst]
–adjective
1. guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness: We hope to be just in our understanding of such difficult situations.
2. done or made according to principle; equitable; proper: a just reply.
3. based on right; rightful; lawful: a just claim.
4. in keeping with truth or fact; true; correct: a just analysis.
5. given or awarded rightly; deserved, as a sentence, punishment, or reward: a just penalty.
6. in accordance with standards or requirements; proper or right: just proportions.
7. (esp. in Biblical use) righteous.
8. actual, real, or genuine.
–adverb
9. within a brief preceding time; but a moment before: The sun just came out.
10. exactly or precisely: This is just what I mean.
11. by a narrow margin; barely: The arrow just missed the mark.
12. only or merely: He was just a clerk until he became ambitious.
13. actually; really; positively: The weather is just glorious.

Origin:
1325–75; ME < L jūstus righteous, equiv. to jūs law, right + -tus adj. suffix


1. upright; equitable, fair, impartial. 3. legitimate, legal. 4. accurate, exact; honest. 5. merited, appropriate, condign, suited, apt, due.


1. biased. 4. untrue. 5. unjustified.

just

2[juhst]
–noun, verb (used without object)
joust.

juster, noun

joust

[joust, juhst, joost]
–noun
1. a combat in which two knights on horseback attempted to unhorse each other with blunted lances.
2. this type of combat fought in a highly formalized manner as part of a tournament.
3. jousts, tournament.
4. a personal competition or struggle.
–verb (used without object)
5. to contend in a joust or tournament.
6. to contend, compete, or struggle: The candidates will joust in a television debate.
Also, just.


Origin:
1250–1300; (v.) ME justen, jousten < OF juster, joster, jouster to tilt in the lists < VL *juxtāre to approach, clash, deriv. of L juxtā approaching, bordering; (n.) ME juste, jouste < OF juste, etc., deriv. of juster


jouster, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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joust   (joust, jŭst, jōōst)   
n.  
    1. A combat between two mounted knights or men-at-arms using lances; a tilting match.

    2. jousts A series of tilting matches; a tournament.

  1. A personal competition or combat suggestive of combat with lances: a politician who relishes a joust with reporters.

intr.v.   joust·ed also just·ed, joust·ing also just·ing, jousts also justs
  1. To engage in mounted combat with lances; tilt.

  2. To engage in a personal combat or competition.


[Middle English, from Old French juste, from juster, to joust, from Vulgar Latin *iūxtāre, to be next to, from Latin iūxtā, close by; see yeug- in Indo-European roots.]
joust'er n.
just 1   (jŭst)   
adj.  
  1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions: a just ruler. See Synonyms at fair1.

  2. Consistent with what is morally right; righteous: a just cause.

  3. Properly due or merited: just deserts.

  4. Law Valid within the law; lawful: just claims.

  5. Suitable or proper in nature; fitting: a just touch of solemnity.

  6. Based on fact or sound reason; well-founded: a just appraisal.

adv.   (jəst, jĭst; jŭst when stressed)
  1. Precisely; exactly: just enough salt.

  2. Only a moment ago: He just arrived.

  3. By a narrow margin; barely: just missed being hit; just caught the bus before it pulled away.

  4. At a little distance: just down the road.

  5. Merely; only: just a scratch.

  6. Simply; certainly: It's just beautiful!

  7. Perhaps; possibly: I just may go.


[Middle English juste, from Old French, from Latin iūstus; see yewes- in Indo-European roots.]
just'ly adv., just'ness n.
just 2   (jŭst)   
n.   & v.
Variant of joust.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

joust 
c.1300, from O.Fr. joster "to joust, tilt," from V.L. juxtare "to approach, come together, meet," originally "be next to," from L. juxta "beside, near," related to jungere "join" (see jugular). The sport was popular with Anglo-Norman knights.
"These early tournaments were very rough affairs, in every sense, quite unlike the chivalrous contests of later days; the rival parties fought in groups, and it was considered not only fair but commendable to hold off until you saw some of your adversaries getting tired and then to join in the attack on them; the object was not to break a lance in the most approved style, but frankly to disable as many opponents as possible for the sake of obtaining their horses, arms, and ransoms." [L.F. Salzman, "English Life in the Middle Ages," Oxford, 1950]

just  (adj.)
1382, "righteous in the eyes of God, upright and impartial," from O.Fr. just, from L. justus "upright, equitable," from jus (gen. juris) "right," especially "legal right, law," from O.Latin ious, perhaps lit. "sacred formula," a word peculiar to Latin (not general Italic) that originated in the religious cults, from PIE base *yewes- (cf. Avestan yaozda- "make ritually pure;" see jurist). The more mundane L. law-word lex covered specific laws as opposed to the body of laws.

just  (adv.)
"merely, barely," 1665, from M.E. sense of "exactly, punctually" (c.1400), from just (adj.). Just-so story first attested 1902 in Kipling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: just
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin justus lawful, merited, from jus right, law
: conforming to law or to the underlying principles of law: as a : conforming to reason or a standard of correctness <just sanctions cannot be excessive in relation to the offense> b : conforming with what is deemed fair or good just> just> —just·ly adverbjust·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Idioms & Phrases

just

In addition to the idioms beginning with just, also see all (just) the same; get it (you just don't); take it (just so much). Also see under justice.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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