just

[ juhst ]

/ dʒʌst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR just ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness: We hope to be just in our understanding of such difficult situations.

done or made according to principle; equitable; proper: a just reply.

based on right; rightful; lawful: a just claim.

in keeping with truth or fact; true; correct: a just analysis.

given or awarded rightly; deserved, as a sentence, punishment, or reward: a just penalty.

in accordance with standards or requirements; proper or right: just proportions.

(especially in Biblical use) righteous.

actual, real, or genuine.

adverb

within a brief preceding time; but a moment before: The sun just came out.

exactly or precisely: This is just what I mean.

by a narrow margin; barely: The arrow just missed the mark.

only or merely: He was just a clerk until he became ambitious.

actually; really; positively: The weather is just glorious.

Nearby words

Idioms

just so, neat and tidy; carefully arranged: My mother-in-law is very fussy; everything has to be placed just so.

Origin of just

1325–75; Middle English < Latin jūstus righteous, equivalent to jūs law, right + -tus adj. suffix

SYNONYMS FOR just

1 upright; equitable, fair, impartial.

3 legitimate, legal.

4 accurate, exact; honest.

5 merited, appropriate, condign, suited, apt, due.

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ANTONYMS FOR just

1 biased.

4 untrue.

5 unjustified.

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Can be confusedgist jest just

Definition for just (2 of 2)

just

[ juhst ]

/ dʒʌst /

noun, verb (used without object)

joust.

Related formsjust·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for just

just

adjective (dʒʌst)

fair or impartial in action or judgment
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the just

conforming to high moral standards; honest

consistent with justicea just action

rightly applied or given; deserveda just reward

legally valid; lawfula just inheritance

well-founded; reasonablejust criticism

correct, accurate, or truea just account

adverb (dʒʌst, unstressed dʒəst)

used with forms of have to indicate an action performed in the very recent pastI have just closed the door

at this very instanthe's just coming in to land

no more than; merely; onlyjust an ordinary car

exactly; preciselythat's just what I mean

by a small margin; barelyhe just got there in time

(intensifier)it's just wonderful to see you

informal indeed; with a vengeanceisn't it just

just about

at the point of starting (to do something)
very nearly; almostI've just about had enough

just a moment, just a second or just a minute an expression requesting the hearer to wait or pause for a brief period of time

just now

a very short time ago
at this moment
Southern African informal in a little while

just on having reached exactlyit's just on five o'clock

just so

an expression of complete agreement or of unwillingness to dissent
arranged with precision

Derived Formsjustly, adverbjustness, noun

Word Origin for just

C14: from Latin jūstus righteous, from jūs justice

usage

The use of just with exactly (it's just exactly what they want) is redundant and should be avoided: it's exactly what they want

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

Word Origin and History for just (1 of 2)

just

adj.

late 14c., "righteous in the eyes of God; upright, equitable, impartial; justifiable, reasonable," from Old French juste "just, righteous; sincere" (12c.), from Latin iustus "upright, equitable," from ius "right," especially "legal right, law," from Old Latin ious, perhaps literally "sacred formula," a word peculiar to Latin (not general Italic) that originated in the religious cults, from PIE root *yewes- "law" (cf. Avestan yaozda- "make ritually pure;" see jurist). The more mundane Latin law-word lex covered specific laws as opposed to the body of laws. The noun meaning "righteous person or persons" is from late 14c.

Word Origin and History for just (1 of 2)

just

adv.

"merely, barely," 1660s, from Middle English sense of "exactly, precisely, punctually" (c.1400), from just (adj.), and paralleling the adverbial use of French juste. Just-so story first attested 1902 in Kipling, from the expression just so "exactly that, in that very way" (1751).

Idioms and Phrases with just

just

In addition to the idioms beginning with just

just about
just a minute
just as
just as soon
just deserts
just folks
just for the record
just in case
just in time
just like that
just now
just one of those things
just so
just the same
just the ticket
just what the doctor ordered

also see:

all (just) the same
get it (you just don't)
take it (just so much)

Also see underjustice.

just

adjective

adverb

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of just

Definition for just (2 of 2)

just

noun, verb (used without object)

British Dictionary definitions for just

just

adjective (dʒʌst)

adverb (dʒʌst, unstressed dʒəst)

Word Origin for just

usage

Word Origin and History for just (1 of 2)

just

Word Origin and History for just (1 of 2)

just

Idioms and Phrases with just

just