just

just ¹  (jst)

adj.

1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions: a just ruler. See Synonyms at fair¹.

2. Consistent with what is morally right; righteous: a just cause.

3. Properly due or merited: just deserts.

4. Law Valid within the law; lawful: just claims.

5. Suitable or proper in nature; fitting: a just touch of solemnity.

6. Based on fact or sound reason; well-founded: a just appraisal.

adv. (jst, jst; jst when stressed)

1. Precisely; exactly: just enough salt.

2. Only a moment ago: He just arrived.

3. By a narrow margin; barely: just missed being hit; just caught the bus before it pulled away.

4. At a little distance: just down the road.

5. Merely; only: just a scratch.

6. Simply; certainly: It's just beautiful!

7. Perhaps; possibly: I just may go.

Idioms:

just about

Almost; very nearly: This job is just about done.

just now

Only a moment ago.

just the same

Nevertheless.

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[Middle English juste, from Old French, from Latin istus; see yewes- in Indo-European roots.]

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justly adv.

justness n.

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just

Adverb

1. very recently: the results have just been published

2. at this very instant or in the very near future: news is just coming in of a nuclear explosion

3. no more than; only: nothing fancy, just solid German fare

4. exactly: just the opposite

5. barely: the swimmers arrived just in time for the opening ceremony

6. just about practically or virtually: just about everyone

7. just about to very soon going to: it was just about to explode

8. just a moment or second or minute an expression requesting someone to wait for a short time

9. just now

a. a short time ago: as you said just now

b. at the present time: he needs all the support he can get just now

c. S African informal in a little while

10. just so arranged with precision: a cottage with the gardens and rooms all just so

Adjective

fair and right: a just war [Latin jus justice]

justly adv
justness n

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.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	just - used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting; "a just and lasting peace"- A.Lincoln; "a kind and just man"; "a just reward"; "his just inheritance" fair, just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul" honourable, honorable - worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect; "an honorable man"; "led an honorable life"; "honorable service to his country" right - in conformance with justice or law or morality; "do the right thing and confess" righteous - characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice; "the...prayer of a righteous man availeth much"- James 5:16 unjust - violating principles of justice; "unjust punishment"; "an unjust judge"; "an unjust accusation"
	2.	just - fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience; "equitable treatment of all citizens"; "an equitable distribution of gifts among the children" equitable fair, just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul" just - used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting; "a just and lasting peace"- A.Lincoln; "a kind and just man"; "a just reward"; "his just inheritance" impartial - showing lack of favoritism; "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge"
	3.	just - free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul" fair just - used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting; "a just and lasting peace"- A.Lincoln; "a kind and just man"; "a just reward"; "his just inheritance" impartial - showing lack of favoritism; "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge" reasonable, sensible - showing reason or sound judgment; "a sensible choice"; "a sensible person"
	4.	just - of moral excellence; "a genuinely good person"; "a just cause"; "an upright and respectable man" upright, good righteous - characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice; "the...prayer of a righteous man availeth much"- James 5:16
Adv.	1.	just - and nothing more; "I was merely asking"; "it is simply a matter of time"; "just a scratch"; "he was only a child"; "hopes that last but a moment" but, merely, only, simply
	2.	just - indicating exactness or preciseness; "he was doing precisely (or exactly) what she had told him to do"; "it was just as he said--the jewel was gone"; "it has just enough salt" exactly, precisely
	3.	just - only a moment ago; "he has just arrived"; "the sun just now came out" just now
	4.	just - absolutely; "I just can't take it anymore"; "he was just grand as Romeo"; "it's simply beautiful!" simply intensifier, intensive - a modifier that has little meaning except to intensify the meaning it modifies; "`up' in `finished up' is an intensifier"; "`honestly' in `I honestly don't know' is an intensifier"
	5.	just - only a very short time before; "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats barely, hardly, scarce, scarcely
	6.	just - exactly at this moment or the moment described; "we've just finished painting the walls, so don't touch them";

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just

adverb 1. recently, lately, only now

adverb 2. merely, but, only, simply, solely, no more than, nothing but

adverb 3. barely, hardly, only just, scarcely, at most, by a whisker, at a push, by the skin of your teeth

adverb 4. exactly, really, quite, completely, totally, perfectly, entirely, truly, absolutely, precisely, altogether, positively

adjective 5. fair, good, legitimate, honourable, right, square, pure, decent, upright, honest, equitable, righteous, conscientious, impartial, virtuous, lawful, blameless, unbiased, fair-minded, unprejudiced << OPPOSITE unfair

adjective 6. fitting, due, correct, deserved, appropriate, justified, reasonable, suitable, decent, sensible, merited, proper, legitimate, desirable, apt, rightful, well-deserved, condign << OPPOSITE inappropriate >> just about practically, almost, nearly, close to, virtually, all but, not quite, well-nigh

USAGE The expression just exactly is considered to be poor style because, since both words mean the same thing, only one or the other is needed. Use just - it's just what they want - or exactly - it's exactly what they want, but not both together.

Translations

just [dʒʌst] adj → justo

adv (= exactly) → exactamente (= only); sólo, solamente, no más (LAM);

he's just done it/left → acaba de hacerlo/irse;

I've just seen him → acabo de verle;

just right → perfecto;

just two o'clock → las dos en punto;

she's just as clever as you → es tan lista como tú;

just as well that... → menos mal que...;

it's just as well you didn't go → menos mal que no fuiste;

it's just as good (as) → es igual (que), es tan bueno (como);

just as he was leaving → en el momento en que se marchaba;

we were just going → ya nos íbamos;

I was just about to phone → estaba a punto de llamar;

just before/enough → justo antes/lo suficiente;

just here → aquí mismo;

he just missed → falló por poco;

just listen to this → escucha esto un momento;

just ask someone the way → simplemente pregúntale a algn por dónde se va;

not just now → ahora no

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just [dʒʌst] adj → juste

adv he's just done it/left → il vient de le faire/partir;

just as I expected → exactement or précisément comme je m'y attendais;

just right/two o'clock → exactement or juste ce qu'il faut/deux heures;

we were just going → nous partions;

I was just about to phone → j'allais téléphoner;

just as he was leaving → au moment or à l'instant précis où il partait;

just before/enough/here → juste avant/assez/là;

it's just me/a mistake → ce n'est que moi/(rien) qu'une erreur;

just missed/caught → manqué/attrapé de justesse;

just listen to this! → écoutez un peu ça!;

just ask someone the way → vous n'avez qu'à demander votre chemin à quelqu'un;

it's just as good → c'est (vraiment) aussi bon;

she's just as clever as you → elle est tout aussi intelligente que vous;

it's just as well that you ... → heureusement que vous ...;

not just now → pas tout de suite;

just a minute!, just one moment! → un instant (s'il vous plaît)!

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just [dʒʌst] adj → gerecht

adv (exactly) → genau;

(only) → nur;

he's just done it/left → er hat es gerade getan/ist gerade gegangen;

just as I expected → genau wie ich erwartet habe;

just right → genau richtig;

just two o'clock → erst zwei Uhr;

we were just going → wir wollten gerade gehen;

I was just about to phone → ich wollte gerade anrufen;

she's just as clever as you → sie ist genauso klug wie du;

it's just as well (that ...) → nur gut, dass ...;

just as he was leaving → gerade als er gehen wollte;

just before → gerade noch;

just enough → gerade genug;

just here → genau hier, genau an dieser Stelle;

he just missed → er hat genau danebengetroffen;

it's just me → ich bins nur;

it's just a mistake → es ist nur ein Fehler;

just listen → hör mal;

just ask someone the way → frage doch einfach jemanden nach dem Weg;

not just now → nicht gerade jetzt;

just a minute!, just one moment! → einen Moment, bitte!

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just [dʒʌst] adj → giusto/a

adv he's just done it/left → lo ha appena fatto/è appena partito;

just as I expected → proprio come me lo aspettavo;

just right → proprio giusto;

just 2 o'clock → le 2 precise;

we were just going → stavamo uscendo;

I was just about to phone → stavo proprio per telefonare;

just as he was leaving → proprio mentre se ne stava andando;

it was just before/enough/here → era poco prima/appena assai/proprio qui;

it's just me → sono solo io;

it's just a mistake → non è che uno sbaglio;

just missed/caught → appena perso/preso;

just listen to this! → senta un po' questo!;

just ask someone the way → basta che tu chieda la strada a qualcuno;

it's just as good → è altrettanto buono;

it's just as well you didn't go → per fortuna non ci sei andato;

not just now → non proprio adesso;

just a minute!, just one moment! → un attimo!