justify
verb (justifies, justifying, justified) with object
1. show or prove to be right or reasonable:
〈決定･行為･考えなど〉を正当化する, 正しいと証明する, 弁明する; 〖～ doing〗 …することを正当化する
e.g. the person appointed has fully justified our confidence.
be a good reason for:
〖～ oneself〗 【人に対して】自己弁護する, 自分を正当化する «to»
e.g. the situation was grave enough to justify further investigation.
2. Theology declare or make righteous in the sight of God.
〈神が〉〈人〉の罪を赦す
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.
〘印〙 〈行〉の長さ［行末, 行頭］をそろえる; 〈行〉を均等割する
DERIVATIVES
justificatory |jəˈstifəkəˌtôrē, ˌjəstəˈfikəˌtôrē| adjective
justifier |ˈjəstəˌfīr| noun
ORIGIN
Middle English (in the senses ‘administer justice to’ and ‘inflict a judicial penalty on’): from Old French justifier, from Christian Latin justificare ‘do justice to’, from Latin justus (see just).