v.
Pronunciation: ' j ə s-t ə - ˌ f ī
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -fied ; -fy · ing
Etymology: Middle English justifien, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French justifier, from Late Latin justificare, from Latin justus
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable b (1) : to show to have had a sufficient legal reason (2) : to qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property
2 a archaic : to administer justice to b archaic : ABSOLVE c : to judge, regard, or treat as righteous and worthy of salvation
3 a : to space (as lines of text) so that the lines come out even at the margin b : to make even by justifying < justified margins>
intransitive verb
1 a : to show a sufficient lawful reason for an act done b : to qualify as bail or surety
2 : to justify lines of text
synonyms see MAINTAIN
– jus · ti · fi · er \ - ˌ f ī (- ə )r \ noun