just

¹

[ juhst ]

adjective

1. guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness:

   We hope to be just in our understanding of such difficult situations.

   Synonyms: impartial, fair, equitable, upright

   Antonyms: biased

2. done or made according to principle; equitable; proper:

   a just reply.

3. based on right; rightful; lawful:

   a just claim.

   Synonyms: legal, legitimate

4. in keeping with truth or fact; true; correct:

   a just analysis.

   Synonyms: honest, exact, accurate

   Antonyms: untrue

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

   a just penalty.

   Synonyms: due, apt, suited, condign, appropriate

   Antonyms: unjustified

6. in accordance with standards or requirements; proper or right:

   just proportions.

7. (especially in Biblical use) righteous.
8. actual, real, or genuine.

adverb

1. within a brief preceding time; but a moment before:

   The sun just came out.

2. exactly or precisely:

   This is just what I mean.

3. by a narrow margin; barely:

   The arrow just missed the mark.

4. only or merely:

   He was just a clerk until he became ambitious.

5. actually; really; positively:

   The weather is just glorious.

just

²

[ juhst ]

noun

1. joust.

just

adjective

1. 1. fair or impartial in action or judgment
   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the just

2. conforming to high moral standards; honest
3. consistent with justice

   a just action

4. rightly applied or given; deserved

   a just reward

5. legally valid; lawful

   a just inheritance

6. well-founded; reasonable

   just criticism

7. correct, accurate, or true

   a just account

adverb

1. used with forms of have to indicate an action performed in the very recent past

   I have just closed the door

2. at this very instant

   he's just coming in to land

3. no more than; merely; only

   just an ordinary car

4. exactly; precisely

   that's just what I mean

5. by a small margin; barely

   he just got there in time

6. (intensifier)

   it's just wonderful to see you

7. informal.
   indeed; with a vengeance

   isn't it just

8. just about
   just about
   1. at the point of starting (to do something)
   2. very nearly; almost

      I've just about had enough

9. just a moment
   just a momentjust a secondjust a minute an expression requesting the hearer to wait or pause for a brief period of time
10. just now
    just now
    1. a very short time ago
    2. at this moment
    3. in a little while
11. just on
    just on having reached exactly

    it's just on five o'clock

12. just so
    just so
    1. an expression of complete agreement or of unwillingness to dissent
    2. arranged with precision

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

Derived Forms

• ˈjustness, noun
• ˈjustly, adverb

Other Words From

• juster noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of just¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin jūstus “righteous,” equivalent to jūs “law, right” + -tus, adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of just¹

C14: from Latin jūstus righteous, from jūs justice

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. just so, neat and tidy; carefully arranged:

   My mother-in-law is very fussy; everything has to be placed just so.

More idioms and phrases containing just

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

Example Sentences

In the just-released USA Today/Suffolk poll, Roberts trails his opponent by five points.

From The Daily Beast

A just-published study in the journal Nature explored how mice reacted to a diet of artificial sweeteners.

From The Daily Beast

Pamphlets were venues for advocacy and commentary on domestic affairs, but newspapers adopted a pose of just-the-facts neutrality.

From The Daily Beast

(Complete CPAC Coverage) A couple of speakers later, Mike Huckabee revved up the crowd with his just-plain-folks sermonizing.

From The Daily Beast

So every bottle of rowanberry schnaps you see began with thousands of hand-harvest, just-frosted rowanberries.

From The Daily Beast

"Sure," grinned Stanton, with all the deceptive, undauntable optimism of the Just-Awakened.

From Project Gutenberg

It is served by a ministerial-looking butler and a just-ready-to-be-ordained footman.

From Project Gutenberg

Till now one with sudden hiss: "But-good Christ-just look-why, the roof's leaning—!"

From Project Gutenberg

In it were included the names of his brother, of Couthon, and of Saint-Just.

From Project Gutenberg

We hurried back for them, forgetting that we had promised ourselves a long just-us talk to bridge the months of separation.

From Project Gutenberg