justify
Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
jus·ti·fy
(jŭs′tə-fī′)tr.v. jus·ti·fied, jus·ti·fy·ing, jus·ti·fies
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 free (a human) of the guilt and penalty attached to grievous sin. Used of God.
3. Law
a. To demonstrate sufficient legal reason for (an action taken).
b. To prove to be qualified as a bondsman.
4. To format (a paragraph, for example) so that the lines of text begin and end evenly at a straight margin.
[Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin iūstificāre, from Latin, to act justly toward : iūstus, just; see just1 + -ficāre, -fy.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
justify
(ˈdʒʌstɪˌfaɪ)vb (mainly tr) , -fies, -fying or -fied
1. (often passive) to prove or see to be just or valid; vindicate: he was certainly justified in taking the money.
2. to show to be reasonable; warrant or substantiate: his behaviour justifies our suspicion.
3. to declare or show to be free from blame or guilt; absolve
4. (Law) law
a. to show good reason in court for (some action taken)
b. to show adequate grounds for doing (that with which a person is charged): to justify a libel.
5. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) (also intr) printing computing to adjust the spaces between words in (a line of type or data) so that it is of the required length or (of a line of type or data) to fit exactly
6. (Theology)
a. Protestant theol to account or declare righteous by the imputation of Christ's merits to the sinner
b. RC theol to change from sinfulness to righteousness by the transforming effects of grace
7. (Law) (also intr) law to prove (a person) to have sufficient means to act as surety, etc, or (of a person) to qualify to provide bail or surety
[C14: from Old French justifier, from Latin justificāre, from jūstus just + facere to make]
ˈjustiˌfier n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
jus•ti•fy
(ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪ)v. -fied, -fy•ing. v.t.
1. to show or prove to be just, right, or reasonable: The pleasure we get from these paintings justifies their high cost.
2. to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: Don't try to justify his rudeness.
3. to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.
4. to space out words or characters in (one or more lines of type), esp. to produce an even margin.
v.i. 5.
a. to show that what was done was legally warranted.
b. to qualify as bail or surety.
6. (of a line of type) to fit exactly into a desired length.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Old French justifier < Late Latin jūstificāre= Latin jūsti-, comb. form of jūstus just1 + -ficāre -fy]
jus′ti•fi`er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
justify
Past participle: justified
Gerund: justifying
| Imperative |
|---|
| justify |
| justify |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | justify - show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for; "The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns"; "The end justifies the means" |
| 2. |  justify - show to be right by providing justification or proof; "vindicate a claim"excuse, explain - serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again" legitimate - show or affirm to be just and legitimate | |
| 3. | justify - defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" plead - offer as an excuse or plea; "She was pleading insanity" | |
| 4. |  justify - let off the hook; "I absolve you from this responsibility"let off, excuse, exempt, relieve - grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class" wash one's hands - to absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame; "I wash my hands of this" forgive - stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday" | |
| 5. | justify - adjust the spaces between words; "justify the margins" printing - the business of producing printed material for sale or distribution |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
justify
verb explain, support, warrant, bear out, legitimize, establish, maintain, confirm, defend, approve, excuse, sustain, uphold, acquit, vindicate, validate, substantiate, exonerate, legalize, absolve, exculpate This decision was fully justified by economic conditions.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
justify
verb1. To show to be just, right, or valid:
Idiom: make a case for.
3. To assure the certainty or validity of:
attest, authenticate, back (up), bear out, confirm, corroborate, evidence, substantiate, testify (to), validate, verify, warrant.
4. To support against arguments, attack, or criticism:
5. To offer reasons for or a cause of:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُبَرِّرُيُبَرِّر، يُسَوِّغيُبَرِّر، يُكَوِّن عُذْرا
ospravedlnitzarovnat
retfærdiggøreberettige
oikeuttaaperustellatasata
opravdati
igazolindokol
réttlæta
正当化する
정당화하다
pateisinamaspateisinimas
attaisnot
rechtvaardigenuitlijnen
zagovarjatizagovarjati se
motivera
พิสูจน์ว่าถูกต้อง
geçerli bir nedeni olmakhaklı göstermek/çıkarmakhaklılığını göstermek
giải thích
justify
[ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ] VT1. (gen) → justificar
he tried to justify his decision → trató de justificar su decisión
the future does not justify the slightest optimism → el futuro no da lugar al más leve optimismo
he tried to justify his decision → trató de justificar su decisión
the future does not justify the slightest optimism → el futuro no da lugar al más leve optimismo
2. (Typ, Comput) → alinear, justificar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
justify
vt
(= show to be right) → rechtfertigen, verteidigen (sth to sb etw vor jdm or jdm gegenüber); you don’t need to justify yourself → Sie brauchen sich nicht zu rechtfertigen or verteidigen; don’t try to justify your action → versuchen Sie nicht, Ihre Tat zu entschuldigen or zu verteidigen; am I justified in believing that …? → glaube ich zu Recht, dass …?
(= be good reason for) → rechtfertigen, ein Grund sein für; the future could hardly be said to justify great optimism → die Zukunft berechtigt wohl kaum zu großem Optimismus; this does not justify his being late → das ist kein Grund für sein Zuspätkommen; he was justified in doing that → es war gerechtfertigt, dass er das tat; you’re not justified in talking to her like that → Sie haben kein Recht, so mit ihr zu reden
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
justify
[ˈdʒʌstɪˌfaɪ] vt (behaviour, action, also) (Typ) → giustificareto be justified in doing sth → avere ragione di fare qc
am I justified in thinking that ...? → mi sbaglio o...?
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
justify
(ˈdʒastifai) verb1. to prove or show (a person, action, opinion etc) to be just, right, desirable or reasonable. How can the government justify the spending of millions of pounds on weapons when there is so much poverty in the country?
2. to be a good excuse for. Your state of anxiety does not justify your being so rude to me.
ˌjustiˈfiable adjective (negative unjustifiable) able to be justified. Is dishonesty ever justifiable?
ˌjustifiˈcation (-fi-) noun1. (the act of) justifying or excusing.
2. something that justifies. You have no justification for criticizing him in that way.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
justify
→ يُبَرِّرُ ospravedlnit retfærdiggøre rechtfertigen δικαιολογώ justificar oikeuttaa justifier opravdati giustificare 正当化する 정당화하다 rechtvaardigen rettferdiggjøre usprawiedliwić justificar обосновывать motivera พิสูจน์ว่าถูกต้อง haklılığını göstermek giải thích 论证Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
justify
v. justificar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012