judge

[ juhj ]

/ dʒʌdʒ /

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See synonyms for: judge / judged / judges / judging on Thesaurus.com

noun

a public officer authorized to hear and decide cases in a court of law; a magistrate charged with the administration of justice.

a person appointed to decide in any competition, contest, or matter at issue; authorized arbiter: the judges of a beauty contest.

a person qualified to pass a critical judgment: a good judge of horses.

an administrative head of Israel in the period between the death of Joshua and the accession to the throne by Saul.

(especially in rural areas) a county official with supervisory duties, often employed part-time or on an honorary basis.

verb (used with object), judged, judg·ing.

to pass legal judgment on; pass sentence on (a person): The court judged him guilty.

to hear evidence or legal arguments in (a case) in order to pass judgment; adjudicate; try: The Supreme Court is judging that case.

to form a judgment or opinion of; decide upon critically: You can't judge a book by its cover.

to decide or settle authoritatively; adjudge: The censor judged the book obscene and forbade its sale.

to infer, think, or hold as an opinion; conclude about or assess: He judged her to be correct.

to make a careful guess about; estimate: We judged the distance to be about four miles.

(of the ancient Hebrew judges) to govern.

verb (used without object), judged, judg·ing.

to act as a judge; pass judgment: No one would judge between us.

to form an opinion or estimate: I have heard the evidence and will judge accordingly.

to make a mental judgment.

OTHER WORDS FOR judge

1 justice.

2 arbitrator.

3 connoisseur, critic.

10 conceive, consider, regard.

13 adjudge, adjudicate.

See synonyms for judge on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of judge

First recorded in 1175–1225; (verb) Middle English jugen, from Anglo-French juger, Old French jugier, from Latin jūdicāre “to judge,” equivalent to jūdic- (stem of jūdex ) “a judge” + -āre infinitive suffix; (noun) Middle English juge, from Old French, from Latin jūdicem, accusative of jūdex

synonym study for judge

2. Judge, referee, umpire refer to one who is entrusted with decisions affecting others. Judge, in its legal and other uses, implies particularly that one has qualifications and authority for giving decisions in matters at issue: a judge appointed to the Supreme Court; a judge in the pie competition. A referee usually examines and reports on the merits of a case as an aid to a court. An umpire gives the final ruling when arbitrators of a case disagree.

OTHER WORDS FROM judge

judge·a·ble, adjectivejudg·er, nounjudge·less, adjectivejudge·like, adjective

judge·ship, nounre·judge, verb, re·judged, re·judg·ing.sub·judge, nounsub·judge·ship, nounun·der·judge, verb (used with object), un·der·judged, un·der·judg·ing.un·der·judge, nounun·judge·a·ble, adjectiveun·judged, adjectiveun·judge·like, adjectivewell-judged, adjective

Words nearby judge

Judeo-, Judeo-Christian, Judeo-Spanish, Jude the Obscure, Judezmo, judge, judge a book by its cover, one can't, judge advocate, judge advocate general, Judge Lynch, judge-made

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use judge in a sentence

In response to a question from defendants’ counsel, Bastian said he would provide more detail in the written order, which the judge said he plans to issue later Thursday or Friday.
Federal judge issues temporary injunction against USPS operational changes amid concerns about mail slowdowns|Elise Viebeck, Jacob Bogage|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Lawyers for Bluestone are asking the judge to throw out the federal case, saying the state settlement and hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal fines the company already paid for the same violations should resolve the matters.
This Billionaire Governor’s Coal Company Might Get a Big Break From His Own Regulators|by Ken Ward Jr.|September 17, 2020|ProPublica
A judge last September granted asylum to Yariel Valdés González, a Blade contributor who faced persecution in Cuba because of his work as an independent journalist.
Cuban authorities threaten to arrest LGBTQ activist, journalist|Michael K. Lavers|September 17, 2020|Washington Blade
He said he hopes other judges will strike down coronavirus mandates.
Courts may reconsider temporary coronavirus restrictions as pandemic drags on|Anne Gearan, Karin Brulliard|September 16, 2020|Washington Post

That summer, an administrative law judge rejected the settlement, noting that, among other defects, it largely sidestepped a core question — whether McDonald’s was a joint employer.
“Cover Up”: House Democrats Subpoena Documents That NLRB Refused to Share in Ethics Investigation|by Ian MacDougall|September 15, 2020|ProPublica
Meanwhile, almost exactly 30 years after the trial, the judge left his home to board a steamboat and was never heard from again.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“I think it is important to say it is too soon to judge success or failure,” said Col. Steven Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Who among Scalise's constituents could possibly care if he supported naming a post office for a black judge who died in 1988?
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Judge Hinkle said “the Constitution requires the Clerk to issue such licenses.”
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So, in an unusual order (PDF) issued on New Years Day, District Judge Robert Hinkle clarified the issue.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Judge or sheriff, it was all one to them, each being equally terrible in their eyes.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
“And the matter of the will was all disposed of by the probate judge today, I hear,” said the judge, his hand on the door.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Judge for yourself the difficulty surrounding the remainder of the symbols and fundamental truths of christianity.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
I should judge that a peck of corn is about the average product of a day's work through all this region.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
He was a good judge of men, that eagle-faced major; he knew that the slightest move with hostile intent would mean a smoking gun.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for judge

judge

/ (dʒʌdʒ) /

noun

a public official with authority to hear cases in a court of law and pronounce judgment upon themCompare magistrate (def. 1), justice (def. 5), justice (def. 6) Related adjective: judicial

a person who is appointed to determine the result of contests or competitions

a person qualified to comment criticallya good judge of antiques

a leader of the peoples of Israel from Joshua's death to the accession of Saul

verb

to hear and decide upon (a case at law)

(tr) to pass judgment on; sentence

(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to decide or deem (something) after inquiry or deliberation

to determine the result of (a contest or competition)

to appraise (something) critically

(tr; takes a clause as object) to believe (something) to be the case; suspect

Derived forms of judge

judgeable, adjectivejudgeless, adjectivejudgelike, adjectivejudger, noun

judgingly, adverb

Word Origin for judge

C14: from Old French jugier, from Latin jūdicāre to pass judgment, from jūdex a judge

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with judge

judge

In addition to the idiom beginning with judge

judge a book by its cover, one can't

also see:

sober as a judge

Also seejudgment.

judge

OTHER WORDS FOR judge

Origin of judge

synonym study for judge

OTHER WORDS FROM judge

Words nearby judge

Words related to judge

How to use judge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for judge

Derived forms of judge

Word Origin for judge

Other Idioms and Phrases with judge