justify

views updated May 11 2018

jus·ti·fy / ˈjəstəˌfī/ • v. (-fies, -fied) [tr.] 1. show or prove to be right or reasonable: the person appointed has fully justified our confidence. ∎  be a good reason for: the situation was grave enough to justify further investigation. 2. Theol. declare or make righteous in the sight of God. 3. Printing adjust (a line of type or piece of text) so that the print fills a space evenly or forms a straight edge at one or both margins.DERIVATIVES: jus·ti·fi·ca·tion / ˌjəstəfiˈkāshən/ n.jus·tif·i·ca·to·ry / jəˈstifəkəˌtôrē; ˌjəstəfiˈkātôrē/ adj.jus·ti·fi·er n.

justify

views updated May 23 2018

justify †judge, condemn, punish; show to be just; make good, verify XIV; maintain the justice of; make exact, adjust (esp. printing type) XVI. —(O)F. justifier—ChrL. jūstificāre do justice to, vindicate, f. justus JUST: see -FY.
So justification XIV (theol. XVI).—(O)F. or ChrL. justifiable XVI. — F.

justify

views updated May 18 2018

justify
1. To achieve uniform vertical edges to pages or columns of material printed or displayed on a screen. Information can be aligned along the left or right margin or centered between the margins. In the latter case, the space between words and/or letters is increased until the line fills the distance between the margins.

2. To move the bit pattern stored in a register so that either the least or most significant bit is at the appropriate end of the register.