just

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See also: Just, Júst, and júst

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology 1

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From Middle English juste, from Old French juste, from Latin iūstus (just, lawful, rightful, true, due, proper, moderate), from Proto-Italic *jowestos, related to Latin iūs (law, right); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-. Compare Scots juist (just), Saterland Frisian juust (just), West Frisian just (just), Dutch juist (just), German Low German jüst (jüst), German just (just), Danish just (just), Swedish just (just). Doublet of giusto.

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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just (comparative juster or more just, superlative justest or most just)

  1. Factually right, correct; factual.
    It is a just assessment of the facts.
  2. Rationally right, correct.
  3. Morally right; upright, righteous, equitable; fair.
    It looks like a just solution at first glance.
    • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
      My lord, we know your grace to be a man
      Just and upright.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, [] (King James Version), London: [] Robert Barker, [], →OCLC, Colossians 4:1:
      Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
    • 1744, Alexander Shiels [i.e., Alexander Shields], “Period VI. Containing the Testimony through the Continued Tract of the Present Deformation, from the Year 1660 to this Day.”, in A Hind Let Loose: Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland, for the Interest of Christ; with the True State thereof in All Its Periods: [...], Edinburgh: Reprinted by R. Drummond and Company, and sold by William Gray bookbinder in the Grassmarket, and several others, &c., →OCLC, pages 167–168:
      Here is a Proclamation for a Prince: that proclaims him in whoſe name it is emitted [James II of England], to be the greateſt Tyrant that ever lived in the world, and their Revolt who have diſowned him to be the juſteſt that ever was.
    • 1900 December – 1901 August, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “chapter 23”, in The First Men in the Moon, London: George Newnes, [], published 1901, →OCLC:
      Looking back over my previously written account of these things, I must insist that I have been altogether juster to Cavor than he has been to me.
  4. Proper, adequate.
Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Adverb

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just (not comparable)

  1. Only, simply, merely.
    Just plant a few tomatoes, unless you can freeze or dry them.
    He calls it vermilion, but it's just red to me.
    • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
      Philander went into the next room, which was just a lean-to hitched on to the end of the shanty, and came back with a salt mackerel that dripped brine like a rainstorm. Then he put the coffee pot on the stove and rummaged out a loaf of dry bread and some hardtack.
    • 2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
      From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. []   But viewed from high up in one of the growing number of skyscrapers in Sri Lanka’s capital, it is clear that something extraordinary is happening: China is creating a shipping hub just 200 miles from India’s southern tip.
    • 2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the profound meets the profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37:
      Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths.
    1. Introduces a disappointing or surprising outcome that renders futile something previously mentioned.
      I spent two hours cooking my favorite recipe, just to burn the rice and ruin the meal.
      I helped him out just for him to betray me.
  2. (sentence adverb) Used to reduce the force of an imperative; simply.
    Just follow the directions on the box.
  3. Used to convey a less serious or formal tone
    I just called to say "hi".
  4. Used to show humility.
    Lord, we just want to thank You and praise Your Name.
  5. (degree) absolutely, positively
    It is just splendid!
    just fine
  6. Moments ago, recently.
    They just left, but you may leave a message at the desk.
    • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
      Philander went into the next room [] and came back with a salt mackerel [] . Next he put the mackerel in a fry-pan, and the shanty began to smell like a Banks boat just in from a v'yage.
  7. By a narrow margin; closely; nearly.
    The fastball just missed my head!
    The piece just might fit.
  8. Exactly, precisely, perfectly.
    He wants everything just right for the big day.
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Interjection

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just

  1. (slang) Expressing dismay or discontent.

Etymology 2

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Variation of joust, presumably ultimately from Latin iuxta (near, besides).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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just (plural justs)

  1. A joust, tournament.
    • 1928, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter 11, in Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle[1], 1st edition, page 139:
      Justs and tilts were held here weekly, while the great tourneys that occurred less often were given upon a field outside the castle wall upon the floor of the valley.

Verb

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just (third-person singular simple present justs, present participle justing, simple past and past participle justed)

  1. To joust, fight a tournament.
Translations
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References

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Anagrams

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Catalan

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old Catalan just, from Latin iūstus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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just (feminine justa, masculine plural justs or justos, feminine plural justes)

  1. fair; just
    Antonym: injust
  2. perfect, almost perfect

Derived terms

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Adverb

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just

  1. justly

Further reading

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Estonian

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Etymology

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From Middle Low German just or Swedish just. Possibly from German just. See also justament.

Adverb

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just (not comparable)

  1. exactly, precisely, just
    Sa tulid just parajal ajal.
    You came exactly at the right time.
  2. recently, just now, just
    Ma jõudsin just koju.
    I just got home.
  3. really (softens what has been said)
    Ta pole just töökas mees.
    He isn't much of a worker.

Finnish

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Swedish just.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈjust/, [ˈjus̠t]
  • Rhymes: -ust
  • Syllabification(key): just

Adverb

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just (colloquial)

  1. just, exactly, precisely, perfectly
    Just niin siinä kävi.
    That's exactly what happened.
    Sen pitää olla just eikä melkein.
    It has to be just right, not almost.
  2. recently, just now
    Se oli just tässä.
    He was here just a minute ago.

Interjection

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just (colloquial)

  1. I see, uh-huh, oh well
    Just. Se oli sitten siinä.
    Oh well, I guess that's it for that then.

Synonyms

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both:

adverb:

Further reading

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Friulian

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Etymology

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From Latin iūstus, jūstus.

Adjective

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just

  1. just, right, correct, proper
  2. exact
  3. adequate
  4. apt

Derived terms

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German

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Etymology

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Derived from Latin iūste, iūstus, perhaps via Middle Dutch juust.

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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just

  1. (higher register) just
    Synonyms: gerade, (archaic) justament
    just in dem Moment als…just at the moment as…

Further reading

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Ingrian

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Etymology

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Ultimately from a Germanic language (compare Middle Low German just and Swedish just). Related to Estonian just and Finnish just.

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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just

  1. exactly
    just niinjust so

References

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  • Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 111

Latvian

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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just (transitive, 1st conjugation, present jūtu, jūti, jūt, past jutu)

  1. to feel (to perceive with one's sense organs)
    just aukstumu, karstumu, sāpesto feel cold, heat, pain
    tā, ka nejūt zemi zem kājāmsuch that s/he doesn't feel the earth under his/her feet (= very fast)
  2. to sense
  3. to palp
  4. to have a sensation

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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prefixed verbs:
other derived terms:

Old French

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Verb

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just

  1. third-person singular past historic of gesir

Romagnol

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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just m pl

  1. masculine plural of jóst

Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French juste, Latin jūstus, iūstus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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just m or n (feminine singular justă, masculine plural juști, feminine and neuter plural juste)

  1. just, correct
    Synonyms: drept, adevărat, echitabil

Declension

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Swedish

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Pronunciation

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Adverb

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just (not comparable)

  1. just (quite recently, only moments ago)
    Jag kom just hem
    I just got home
  2. exactly, precisely
    just nu
    right now
    Just det!
    That's right! (idiomatic)
    Det var just vad jag ville ha!
    That's just what I wanted!
    Det är just det som är problemet
    That's precisely the problem
    1. (focus) particularly, in particular, specifically (compare similar usage in English "That's just the guy I saw" and the like)
      Just på det här området finns det gott om utrymme för förbättringar
      In this particular area, there is plenty of room for improvement
      skräddarsydda lösningar för just dina behov
      tailor-made solutions for your specific needs
      Just idag är jag stark
      Today in particular I am strong / This particular day I am strong (or just "Today I am strong," putting emphasis on today) – song lyrics

Usage notes

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Can be understood as English just except lacking the only sense. "Det är just lite regn" (It's precisely a little rain – likely nonsensical) can be understood as "It's just a little rain" if read as "It's just (precisely) a little rain," which is the natural reading in Swedish without the only sense.

Descendants

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  • Finnish: just

See also

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  • bara (only) (for when English just means only – a sense Swedish just does not have)
  • nättupp
  • precis

References

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