justice

[juhs-tis]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR justice ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause.

rightfulness or lawfulness, as of a claim or title; justness of ground or reason: to complain with justice.

the moral principle determining just conduct.

conformity to this principle, as manifested in conduct; just conduct, dealing, or treatment.

the administering of deserved punishment or reward.

the maintenance or administration of what is just by law, as by judicial or other proceedings: a court of justice.

judgment of persons or causes by judicial process: to administer justice in a community.

a judicial officer; a judge or magistrate.

(initial capital letter) Also called Justice Department. the Department of Justice.

Idioms

bring to justice, to cause to come before a court for trial or to receive punishment for one's misdeeds: The murderer was brought to justice.

do justice,

to act or treat justly or fairly.
to appreciate properly: We must see this play again to do it justice.
to acquit in accordance with one's abilities or potentialities: He finally got a role in which he could do himself justice as an actor.

Origin of justice

1150–1200; Middle English < Old French < Latin jūstitia, equivalent to jūst(us) just¹ + -itia -ice

Related formsjus·tice·less, adjective

Can be confusedjudge justice (see synonym study at judge)

Justice

[juhs-tis]

noun

Donald,1925–2004, U.S. poet.

a town in NE Illinois.

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

Related Words for justice

right, honesty, authority, truth, law, integrity, judge, court, charter, code, sentence, correction, justness, hearing, redress, sanction, litigation, decree, review, impartiality

Examples from the Web for justice

Contemporary Examples of justice

He could order the Justice Department to begin the necessary regulatory work.
Obama’s Pot Policy Is Refer Madness
James Poulos
January 5, 2015
I suffer from no delusion that the justice system treats black and white equally.
Bill de Blasio’s Tea Party Problem
Will Cain
December 30, 2014
We separate the search for justice from the search for truth at our peril.
Bill de Blasio’s Tea Party Problem
Will Cain
December 30, 2014
Almost immediately, another group active at the protests called the Justice League snitches.
De Blasio and the New York City Protesters Have No Blood on Their Hands
Jacob Siegel
December 22, 2014
"We're not anti-police, we're anti-police brutality," a member of the Justice League told the crowd, to cheers.
Justice League Vigil for Slain NYPD Officers Asks Whose Life Matters
Olivia Nuzzi
December 22, 2014

Historical Examples of justice

That you will take tea with us to-morrow evening, and help us do justice to them.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
My object in calling upon him was to induce him to do me justice at last.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
We did justice to the supper, as we had not had anything to eat for thirty-two hours.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest
To do him justice, he would have done almost as much for them,—for any of them.
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
They have claims on the magnanimity and, I may add, on the justice of this nation which we must all feel.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various

British Dictionary definitions for justice

justice

noun

the quality or fact of being just

ethics

the principle of fairness that like cases should be treated alike
a particular distribution of benefits and burdens fairly in accordance with a particular conception of what are to count as like cases
the principle that punishment should be proportionate to the offence

the administration of law according to prescribed and accepted principles

conformity to the law; legal validity

a judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature

short for justice of the peace

good reason (esp in the phrase with justice)he was disgusted by their behaviour, and with justice

do justice to

to show to full advantagethe picture did justice to her beauty
to show full appreciation of by actionhe did justice to the meal
to treat or judge fairly

do oneself justice to make full use of one's abilities

bring to justice to capture, try, and usually punish (a criminal, an outlaw, etc)

Word Origin for justice

C12: from Old French, from Latin jūstitia, from justus just

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 justice

mid-12c., "the exercise of authority in vindication of right by assigning reward or punishment;" also "quality of being fair and just," from Old French justice "justice, legal rights, jurisdiction" (11c.), from Latin iustitia "righteousness, equity," from iustus "upright, just" (see just (adj.)). The Old French word had widespread senses, including "uprightness, equity, vindication of right, court of justice, judge." The word began to be used in English c.1200 as a title for a judicial officer. Meaning "right order, equity" is late 14c. Justice of the peace first attested early 14c. In the Mercian hymns, Latin iustitia is glossed by Old English rehtwisnisse. To do justice to (someone or something) "render fully and fairly showing due appreciation" is from 1670s.

justice in Culture

Justice

A figure in painting and sculpture that symbolizes the impartiality of true justice. The figure of Justice usually appears as a blindfolded woman with a scale in one hand and a sword in the other.

Idioms and Phrases with justice

justice

see do justice to; miscarriage of justice; poetic justice.