2 N‑COUNT In some states in the United States, a Justice of the Peace is an official who can carry out some legal tasks, such as settling minor cases in court or performing marriages. The abbreviation JP is also used.
jus|ti|fi|able /dʒʌ st I fa I əb ə l/ ADJ An action, situation, emotion, or idea that is justifiable is acceptable or correct because there is a good reason for it. □ [+ on ] The violence of the revolutionary years was justifiable on the grounds of political necessity. ● jus|ti|fi|ably /dʒʌ st I fa I əbli/ ADV □ He was justifiably proud of his achievements.
jus|ti|fi|ca|tion /dʒʌ st I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ (justifications ) N‑VAR A justification for something is an acceptable reason or explanation for it. □ [+ for ] To me the only justification for a zoo is educational.
jus|ti|fied /dʒʌ st I fa I d/
1 ADJ If you describe a decision, action, or idea as justified , you think it is reasonable and acceptable. □ In my opinion, the decision was wholly justified.
2 ADJ If you think that someone is justified in doing something, you think that their reasons for doing it are good and valid. □ [+ in ] He's absolutely justified in resigning. He was treated shamefully.
jus|ti|fy ◆◇◇ /dʒʌ st I fa I / (justifies , justifying , justified )
1 VERB To justify a decision, action, or idea means to show or prove that it is reasonable or necessary. □ [V n] No argument can justify a war. □ [V n] Ministers agreed that this decision was fully justified by economic conditions.
2 VERB To justify printed text means to adjust the spaces between the words so that each line of type is exactly the same length. [COMPUTING ] □ [V n] Click on this icon to align or justify text.
3 → see also left-justify , right-justify SYNONYMS justify VERB 1
warrant: The allegations are serious enough to warrant an investigation.
excuse: That doesn't excuse my mother's behaviour.
vindicate: Ministers and officials are confident their decision will be vindicated.
just|ly /dʒʌ stli/
1 ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV with v] You use justly to show that you approve of someone's attitude towards something, because it seems to be based on truth or reality. [APPROVAL ] □ Australians are justly proud of their native wildlife.
2 → see also just ➋
jut /dʒʌ t/ (juts , jutting , jutted )
1 VERB If something juts out , it sticks out above or beyond a surface. □ [V adv/prep] The northern end of the island juts out like a long, thin finger into the sea.
2 VERB If you jut a part of your body, especially your chin, or if it juts , you push it forward in an aggressive or determined way. □ [V adv/prep] His jaw jutted stubbornly forward; he would not be denied. □ [V n adv/prep] Gwen jutted her chin forward and did not answer the teacher. □ [V ] Ken's jaw jutted with determination. [Also V n]
jute /dʒuː t/ N‑UNCOUNT Jute is a substance that is used to make cloth and rope. It comes from a plant which grows mainly in South-East Asia.
ju|venile /dʒuː vəna I l/ (juveniles )
1 N‑COUNT A juvenile is a child or young person who is not yet old enough to be regarded as an adult. [FORMAL ] □ The number of juveniles in the general population has fallen by a fifth in the past 10 years.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Juvenile activity or behaviour involves young people who are not yet adults. □ Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.
3 ADJ If you describe someone's behaviour as juvenile , you are critical of it because you think that it is silly or childish. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He's a typical male, as he gets older he becomes more juvenile.
ju |venile court (juvenile courts ) N‑VAR A juvenile court is a court which deals with crimes committed by young people who are not yet old enough to be considered as adults.
ju |venile de|li n|quen|cy N‑UNCOUNT Juvenile delinquency is destruction of property and other criminal behaviour that is committed by young people who are not old enough to be legally considered as adults.
ju |venile de|li n|quent (juvenile delinquents ) N‑COUNT A juvenile delinquent is a young person who is guilty of committing crimes, especially destruction of property or violence.
jux|ta|pose /dʒʌ kstəpoʊ z/ (juxtaposes , juxtaposing , juxtaposed ) VERB If you juxtapose two contrasting objects, images, or ideas, you place them together or describe them together, so that the differences between them are emphasized. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The technique Mr Wilson uses most often is to juxtapose things for dramatic effect. □ [be V -ed + with ] Contemporary photographs are juxtaposed with a sixteenth century, copper Portuguese mirror. □ [V -ed] …art's oldest theme: the celebration of life juxtaposed with the terror of mortality. [Also V n + with ]
jux|ta|po|si|tion /dʒʌ kstəpəz I ʃ ə n/ (juxtapositions ) N‑VAR The juxtaposition of two contrasting objects, images, or ideas is the fact that they are placed together or described together, so that the differences between them are emphasized. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] This juxtaposition of brutal reality and lyrical beauty runs through Park's stories.
Kk
K , k /ke I / (K's, k's )
1 N‑VAR K is the eleventh letter of the English alphabet.
2 K or k is used as an abbreviation for words beginning with k, such as 'kilometre', 'kilobyte', or 'king'.