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justify - 7 dictionary results

jus⋅ti⋅fy

  [juhs-tuh-fahy] verb, -fied, -fy⋅ing.
Use justify in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right: The end does not always justify the means.
2. to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: Don't try to justify his rudeness.
3. Theology. to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.
4. Printing.
a. to make (a line of type) a desired length by spacing the words and letters, esp. so that full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.
b. to level and square (a strike).
–verb (used without object)
5. Law.
a. to show a satisfactory reason or excuse for something done.
b. to qualify as bail or surety.
6. Printing. (of a line of type) to fit exactly into a desired length.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME justifien < OF justifier < LL jūstificāre, equiv. to L jūsti- (comb. form of jūstus just 1 ) + -ficāre -fy

Related forms:
jus⋅ti⋅fi⋅er, noun
jus⋅ti⋅fy⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. vindicate; validate. 2. excuse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To justify
jus·ti·fy   (jŭs'tə-fī')   
v.   jus·ti·fied, jus·ti·fy·ing, jus·ti·fies

v.   tr.
  1. To demonstrate or prove to be just, right, or valid: justified each budgetary expense as necessary; anger that is justified by the circumstances.
  2. To declare free of blame; absolve.
  3. To free (a human) of the guilt and penalty attached to grievous sin. Used of God.
  4. Law
    1. To demonstrate sufficient legal reason for (an action taken).
    2. To prove to be qualified as a bondsman.
  5. Printing To adjust the spacing within (lines in a document, for example), so that the lines end evenly at a straight margin.
v.   intr. Printing
To be adjusted in spacing so as to end evenly at the margin.

[Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin iūstificāre, from Latin, to act justly toward : iūstus, just; see just1 + -ficāre, -fy.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to be a proper or sufficient reason for: an outburst justified by extreme provocation; drastic measures not warranted by the circumstances.
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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Justify

Jus"ti*fy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Justified; p. pr. & vb. n. Justifying.] [F. justifier, L. justificare; justus just + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Just, a., and -fy.]

1. To prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty.

That to the height of this great argument I may assert eternal providence, And justify the ways of God to men. --Milton.

Unless the oppression is so extreme as to justify revolution, it would not justify the evil of breaking up a government. --E. Everett.

2. To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to declare or prove to have done that which is just, right, proper, etc.; to absolve; to exonerate; to clear.

I can not justify whom the law condemns. --Shak.

3. (Theol.) To treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve.

By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. --Acts xiii. 39.

4. To prove; to ratify; to confirm. [Obs.] --Shak.

5. (Print.) To make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4.

Syn: To defend; maintain; vindicate; excuse; exculpate; absolve; exonerate.

Justify

Jus"ti*fy\, v. i. 1. (Print.) To form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly.

2. (Law) To take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety.

Justify

Jus"ti*fy\, v. t. (Law) (a) To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a change or accusation. (b) To qualify (one's self) as a surely by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property.

The production of bail in court, who there justify themselves against the exception of the plaintiff. --Bouvier's Law Dict.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : justify
Spanish: justificar,
German: rechtfertigen,
Japanese: 正当化する
More Translations »

justify 
c.1300, "to administer justice," also "to show (something) to be just or right," from O.Fr. justifer, from L. justificare "act justly toward, make just," from justificus "dealing justly, righteous," from justus "just" (see just (adj.)) + root of facere "to do" (see factitious). Meaning "to make exact" (now largely restricted to typesetting) is from 1551.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: jus·ti·fy
Pronunciation: 'j&s-t&-"fI
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -fied; -fy·ing
transitive verb 1 : to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable justify a denial of bail>
2 : to show to have had a legally sufficient reason or cause justify or excuse himself —State v. Doss, 568 Pacific Reporter, Second Series 1054 (1977)> intransitive verb 1 : to show a legally sufficient reason for an act
2 : to swear an oath as to the ownership of sufficient property justify in an amount no less than $200 —Oregon Revised Statutes>; also : to qualify as a surety by swearing such an oath justify as bail —State v. Blaisdell, 253 Atlantic Reporter, Second Series 341 (1969)>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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