JUST

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does just mean? 

• JUST (adjective)
  The adjective JUST has 4 senses:

1. used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting

2. fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience

3. free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

4. of moral excellence

  Familiarity information: JUST used as an adjective is uncommon.

• JUST (adverb)
  The adverb JUST has 8 senses:

1. and nothing more

2. indicating exactness or preciseness

3. only a moment ago

4. (used for emphasis) absolutely

5. only a very short time before

6. possibly (indicating a slight chance of something being true)

7. exactly at this moment or the moment described

8. by a little

  Familiarity information: JUST used as an adverb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• JUST (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting

Context example:

his just inheritance

Similar:

conscionable (acceptable to your conscience)

fitting; meet (being precisely fitting and right)

retributive; retributory; vindicatory (given or inflicted in requital according to merits or deserts)

rightful (legally valid)

Also:

fair; just (free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules)

honorable; honourable (worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect)

right (in conformance with justice or law or morality)

righteous (characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice)

Antonym:

unjust (violating principles of justice)

Derivation:

justness (the quality of being just or fair)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience

Synonyms:

equitable; just

Context example:

an equitable distribution of gifts among the children

Similar:

fair; honest (gained or earned without cheating or stealing)

evenhanded (without partiality)

Also:

just (used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting)

impartial (showing lack of favoritism)

fair; just (free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules)

Derivation:

justness (the quality of being just or fair)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

Synonyms:

fair; just

Context example:

by fair means or foul

Similar:

antimonopoly; antitrust (of laws and regulations; designed to protect trade and commerce from unfair business practices)

clean; sporting; sportsmanlike; sporty (exhibiting or calling for sportsmanship or fair play)

fair-minded (of a person; just and impartial; not prejudiced)

fair-and-square (just and honest)

Also:

just (used especially of what is legally or ethically right or proper or fitting)

impartial (showing lack of favoritism)

reasonable; sensible (showing reason or sound judgment)

Attribute:

equity; fairness (conformity with rules or standards)

Derivation:

justness (the quality of being just or fair)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Of moral excellence

Synonyms:

good; just; upright

Context example:

an upright and respectable man

Similar:

righteous (characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice)

Derivation:

justness (conformity with some esthetic standard of correctness or propriety)

• JUST (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

And nothing more

Synonyms:

but; just; merely; only; simply

Context example:

hopes that last but a moment

Sense 2

Meaning:

Indicating exactness or preciseness

Synonyms:

exactly; just; precisely; properly

Context example:

Properly speaking, all true work is religion.

Sense 3

Meaning:

Only a moment ago

Synonyms:

just; just now

Context example:

the sun just now came out

Sense 4

Meaning:

(used for emphasis) absolutely

Synonyms:

just; simply

Context example:

it's simply beautiful!

Domain usage:

intensifier; intensive (a modifier that has little meaning except to intensify the meaning it modifies)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Only a very short time before

Synonyms:

barely; hardly; just; scarce; scarcely

Context example:

would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave

Sense 6

Meaning:

Possibly (indicating a slight chance of something being true)

Context example:

it might just happen

Sense 7

Meaning:

Exactly at this moment or the moment described

Context example:

we've just finished painting the walls, so don't touch them

Sense 8

Meaning:

By a little

Synonyms:

barely; just

Context example:

the batter just missed being hit

 Context examples 

I am very busy just now, but I will find time to make some inquiries into your case.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I quite recognise that I am under obligations to you, Mr. Holmes,” said he, “but I must regard what you have just said as either a very bad joke or an insult.”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When she smile—how can I say? —when she smile I know white man like to kiss her, just like that, when she smile.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"But I read some of his poetry out of that book there on the table just before you come in. How do you like his poetry?"

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

If relocation is required, it will happen suddenly, almost without warning, and it would most likely happen at the new moon in Taurus just after April 22.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The gray came in just after, and thereby prevented any ill treatment which the others might have given me.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

They come and they go, and they don't come and they don't go, just as they like.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)