Main Entry:

jus·ti·fy

Pronunciation:

\ˈjəs-tə-ˌfī\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

jus·ti·fied; jus·ti·fy·ing

Etymology:

Middle English justifien, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French justifier, from Late Latin justificare, from Latin justus

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1 a: to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable b (1): to show to have had a sufficient legal reason (2): to qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property2 aarchaic : to administer justice to barchaic : absolve c: to judge, regard, or treat as righteous and worthy of salvation3 a: to space (as lines of text) so that the lines come out even at the margin b: to make even by justifying <justified margins>intransitive verb1 a: to show a sufficient lawful reason for an act done b: to qualify as bail or surety2: to justify lines of text

synonyms see maintain

— jus·ti·fi·er \-ˌfī(-ə)r\ noun