v. t. | 1. | |
1. | To prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty. | |
2. | To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to declare or prove to have done that which is just, right, proper, etc.; to absolve; to exonerate; to clear. | |
3. | (Theol.) To treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve. | |
4. | To prove; to ratify; to confirm. | |
5. | (Print.) To make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to align (text) at the left (left justify) or right (right justify) margins of a column or page, or at both margins; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4. | |
6. | (Law) To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a charge or accusation. | |
v. i. | 1. | (Print.) To form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly. |
2. | (Law) To take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety. |
Verb | 1. | justify - show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for; "The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns"; "The end justifies the means" Synonyms: warrant |
2. | justify - show to be right by providing justification or proof; "vindicate a claim" Synonyms: vindicate | |
3. | justify - defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" | |
4. | justify - let off the hook; "I absolve you from this responsibility" | |
5. | justify - adjust the spaces between words; "justify the margins" |