1140, "the exercise of authority in vindication of right by assigning reward or punishment," from O.Fr. justise, from L. justitia "righteousness, equity," from justus "upright, just" (see just (adj.)). The O.Fr. word had widespread senses, including "uprightness, equity, vindication of right, court of justice, judge." The word began to be used in Eng. c.1200 as a title for a judicial officer. Meaning "the administration of law" is from 1303. Justice of the peace first attested 1320. In the Mercian hymns, L. justitia is glossed by O.E. rehtwisnisse.
the quality of being just or fair [ant: injustice]
2.
judgment involved in the determination of rights and the assignment of rewards and punishments
3.
a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court of justice [syn: judge]
4.
the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870 [syn: Department of Justice]
fairness or rightness in the treatment of other people Example: Everyone has a right to justice; I don't deserve to be punished — where's your sense of justice?
Arabic:
عَدالَه
Chinese (Simplified):
正义；公正
Chinese (Traditional):
正義；公正
Czech:
spravedlnost
Danish:
retfærdighed
Dutch:
rechtvaardigheid
Estonian:
õiglus
Finnish:
oikeudenmukaisuus
French:
justice
Greek:
δικαιοσύνη
Hungarian:
igazság(osság)
Icelandic:
réttlæti
Indonesian:
keadilan
Italian:
giustizia
Japanese:
正義
Korean:
정의, 공정
Latvian:
taisnība; taisnīgums
Lithuanian:
teisingumas
Norwegian:
rettferd(ighet)
Polish:
sprawiedliwość
Portuguese (Brazil):
justiça
Portuguese (Portugal):
justiça
Romanian:
justiţie
Russian:
справедливость
Slovak:
spravodlivosť
Slovenian:
pravičnost
Spanish:
justicia
Swedish:
rättvisa
Turkish:
adalet, hak
justice2[ˈdʒastis]noun
the law or the administration of it Example: Their dispute had to be settled in a court of justice.
A figure in painting and sculpture that symbolizes the impartiality of true justice. The figure of Justice usually appears as a blindfolded woman with a scale in one hand and a sword in the other.
Justice, IL (village, FIPS 38830) Location: 41.74640 N, 87.83552 W Population (1990): 11137 (4390 housing units) Area: 7.4 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 60458
Eq"ui*ty\, n.; pl. Equities. [F. ['e]quit['e], L. aequitas, fr. aequus even, equal. See Equal.]1. Equality of rights; natural justice or right; the giving, or desiring to give, to each man his due, according to reason, and the law of God to man; fairness in determination of conflicting claims; impartiality. Christianity secures both the private interests of men and the public peace, enforcing all justice and equity. --Tillotson. 2. (Law) An equitable claim; an equity of redemption; as, an equity to a settlement, or wife's equity, etc. I consider the wife's equity to be too well settled to be shaken. --Kent. 3. (Law) A system of jurisprudence, supplemental to law, properly so called, and complemental of it. Equity had been gradually shaping itself into a refined science which no human faculties could master without long and intense application. --Macaulay. Note: Equitable jurisprudence in England and in the United States grew up from the inadequacy of common-law forms to secure justice in all cases; and this led to distinct courts by which equity was applied in the way of injunctions, bills of discovery, bills for specified performance, and other processes by which the merits of a case could be reached more summarily or more effectively than by common-law suits. By the recent English Judicature Act (1873), however, the English judges are bound to give effect, in common-law suits, to all equitable rights and remedies; and when the rules of equity and of common law, in any particular case, conflict, the rules of equity are to prevail. In many jurisdictions in the United States, equity and common law are thus blended; in others distinct equity tribunals are still maintained. See Chancery. Equity of redemption (Law), the advantage, allowed to a mortgageor, of a certain or reasonable time to redeem lands mortgaged, after they have been forfeited at law by the nonpayment of the sum of money due on the mortgage at the appointed time. --Blackstone. Syn: Right; justice; impartiality; rectitude; fairness; honesty; uprightness. See Justice.
In*jus"tice\, n. [F. injustice, L. injustitia. See In- not, and Justice, and cf. Unjust.]1. Want of justice and equity; violation of the rights of another or others; iniquity; wrong; unfairness; imposition. If this people [the Athenians] resembled Nero in their extravagance, much more did they resemble and even exceed him in cruelty and injustice. --Burke. 2. An unjust act or deed; a sin; a crime; a wrong. Cunning men can be guilty of a thousand injustices without being discovered, or at least without being punished. --Swift.
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