justify

jus·ti·fy  (jst-f)

v. jus·ti·fied, jus·ti·fy·ing, jus·ti·fies

v.tr.

1. To demonstrate or prove to be just, right, or valid: justified each budgetary expense as necessary; anger that is justified by the circumstances.

2. To declare free of blame; absolve.

3. To free (a human) of the guilt and penalty attached to grievous sin. Used of God.

4. Law

a. To demonstrate sufficient legal reason for (an action taken).

b. To prove to be qualified as a bondsman.

5. Printing To adjust the spacing within (lines in a document, for example), so that the lines end evenly at a straight margin.

v.intr. Printing

To be adjusted in spacing so as to end evenly at the margin.

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[Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin istificre, from Latin, to act justly toward : istus, just; see just¹ + -ficre, -fy.]

Synonyms: justify, warrant
These verbs mean to be a proper or sufficient reason for: an outburst justified by extreme provocation; drastic measures not warranted by the circumstances.

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justify

Verb

[-fies, -fying, -fied]

1. to prove (something) to be just or valid: the idea of the ends justifying the means

2. to defend (an action) as being warranted: an essay justifying his conversion to Catholicism

3. to arrange (text) when typing or printing so that both margins are straight [Latin justificare]

justification n

Thesaurus

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" warrant reassert, confirm - strengthen or make more firm; "The witnesses confirmed the victim's account"
	2.	justify - show to be right by providing justification or proof; "vindicate a claim" vindicate excuse, explain - serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again" uphold, maintain - support against an opponent; "The appellate court upheld the verdict" legitimate - show or affirm to be just and legitimate
	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" apologise, rationalize, rationalise, apologize, excuse colour, gloss, color - give a deceptive explanation or excuse for; "color a lie" plead - offer as an excuse or plea; "She was pleading insanity" defend, fend for, support - argue or speak in defense of; "She supported the motion to strike" extenuate, mitigate, palliate - lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of; "The circumstances extenuate the crime"
	4.	justify - let off the hook; "I absolve you from this responsibility" absolve, free let off, excuse, exempt, relieve - grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class" wash one's hands - to absolve oneself of responsibility or future blame; "I wash my hands of this" forgive - stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday"
	5.	justify - adjust the spaces between words; "justify the margins" printing - the business of producing printed material for sale or distribution adjust, correct, set - alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard; "Adjust the clock, please"; "correct the alignment of the front wheels"

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justify

verb explain, support, warrant, bear out, legitimize, establish, maintain, confirm, defend, approve, excuse, sustain, uphold, acquit, vindicate, validate, substantiate, exonerate, legalize, absolve, exculpate

Translations

justify [ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ] vt → justificar [+ text]; alinear, justificar;

to be justified in doing sth → tener motivo para or razón al hacer algo

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justify [ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ] vt → justifier;

to be justified in doing sth → être en droit de faire qch

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justify [ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ] vt → rechtfertigen;

(text) → justieren;

to be justified in doing sth → etw zu or mit Recht tun

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justify [ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ] vt → giustificare;

(TYP etc) → allineare, giustificare;

to be justified in doing sth → avere ragione di fare qc

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justify

v justify [ˈdʒastifai]

1 to prove or show (a person, action, opinion etc) to be just, right, desirable or reasonable How can the government justify the spending of millions of pounds on weapons when there is so much poverty in the country? regverdig, verdedig, goedpraat, wettig, verantwoord, bewys يُبَرِّر، يُسَوِّغ доказвам ospravedlnit retfærdiggøre rechtfertigen δικαιολογώ, δικαιώνω justificar põhjendama توجیه کردن؛ موجه نشان دادن perustella justifier לְהַצדִיק उचित ठहराना opravdati igazol membuktikan kebenaran réttlæta giustificare 正当化する 정당화하다 pateisinti attaisnot memberikan alasan yang kukuh rechtvaardigen forsvare, rettferdiggjøre usprawiedliwiać justificar a explica объяснять opodstatniť, oprávniť, ospravedlniť utemeljiti opravdati försvara, rättfärdiga แสดงให้เห็นถึง haklı göstermek/çıkarmak 證明...是正當的 підтверджувати درست برحق ثابت کرنا bào chữa 证明...是正当的

2 to be a good excuse for Your state of anxiety does not justify your being so rude to me. regverdig. goedpraat, verontskuldig يُبَرِّر، يُكَوِّن عُذْرا оправдавам ospravedlnit berettige; retfærdiggøre rechtfertigen δικαιολογώ, παρέχω δικαιολογία justificar õigustama توجیه کردن oikeuttaa justifier לְהַצדִיק सफाई देना, उचित सिद्ध करना opravdavati felment memberi alasan réttlæta giustificare 正当化する 뒷받침하는 이유가 되다 pateisinti attaisnot memberikan alasan yang kukuh rechtvaardigen rettferdiggjøre, gi rett til å tłumaczyć justificar a jus­tifica оправдывать ospravedlniť opravičiti dati za pravo berättigande แก้ตัว geçerli bir nedeni olmak 為...辯護 виправдувати; вибачати جواز لانا bào chữa 为...辩护

adj justiˈfiable

(negativeunjustifiable) able to be justified Is dishonesty ever justifiable? verdedigbaar; verskoonbaar يُمْكِن تَبْريرُه оправдаем ospravedlnitelný berettiget entschuldbar δικαιολογημένος justificable vabandatav قابل توجیه oikeutettu justifiable מוּצדַק उचित opravdan igazolható bisa dibenarkan réttlætanlegur giustificabile 正当化できる 정당화되는 pateisinamas attaisnojams dapat diberikan alasan yang kukuh gerechtvaardigd forsvarlig wybaczalny justificável justificabil могущий быть оправданным ospravedlniteľný, oprávnený opravičljiv opravdan försvarlig, riktig, rättfärdig ที่สมเหตุสมผล haklı görülebilir 可證明為正當的 дозволенний; поважний جس کا جواز موجود ہو có thể bào chữa 可证明为正当的

n justifiˈcation [-fi-]

1 (the act of) justifying or excusing. regverdiging, verdediging تَبْرير извинение ospravedlněný retfærdiggørelse die Rechtfertigung δικαιολόγηση, δικαίωση justificación õigustamine توجیه oikeuttaminen justification הַצדָקָה औचित्य izgovor indoklás pembenaran réttlæting giustificazione 正当化 정당화, 변명 pateisinimas attaisnošana memberikan alasan yang kukuh rechtvaardiging rettferdiggjøring usprawiedliwienie justificação justificabil оправдание ospravedlnenie, opodstatnenie opravičilo opravdavanje försvar, rättfärdigande การแสดงความบริสุทธิ์; การให้เหตุผลแก้ตัว haklı çıkarma 證明為正當 виправдання جواز sự bào chữa 证明为正当

2 something that justifies You have no justification for criticizing him in that way. verantwoording, verontskuldiging, wettiging مُبَرِّر оправдание oprávnění grund die Berechtigung δικαιολογία justificación õigustus بهانه؛ دلیل oikeutus raison valable צִידוּק दोषमोचन opravdanje indok(oltság), mentség alasan réttlæting giustificazione, scusa 正当な理由 정당하다고 하는 이유 pasiteisinimas attaisnojums justifikasi reden unnskyldning, begrunnelse usprawiedliwienie justificação motiv cre­dibil основания oprávnenie upravičen razlog opravdanje berättigande การมีเหตุผลอันสมควร haklı neden, gerekçe 正當的理由 виправдні обставини کوئی شے جو جواز قائم کرے lý lẽ bào chữa 正当的理由