just1
- 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.
- 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.
- just so, neat and tidy; carefully arranged: My mother-in-law is very fussy; everything has to be placed just so.
Origin of just1
Synonyms
See more synonyms for just on Thesaurus.comAntonyms
just2
just
- 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
- 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 informalin 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
Word Origin
usage
Word Origin and History for 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.
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.