Justice is fairness in the way that people are treated.
He has a good overall sense of justice and fairness.
He only wants freedom, justice and equality.
There is no justice in this world!
Synonyms: fairness, equity, integrity, honesty More Synonyms of justice
2. uncountable noun
The justiceof a cause, claim, or argument is its quality of being reasonable, fair, or right.
We are a minority and must win people round to the justice of our cause. [+ of]
Synonyms: justness, fairness, legitimacy, reasonableness More Synonyms of justice
3. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]
Justice is the legal system that a country uses in order to deal with people who break the law.
Many in Toronto's black community feel that the justice system does not treat themfairly.
A lawyer is part of the machinery of justice.
Synonyms: law More Synonyms of justice
4. countable noun
A justice is a judge.
[US]
Thomas will be sworn in today as a justice on the Supreme Court. [+ on]
Synonyms: judge, magistrate, beak [British, slang], His, Her or Your Honour More Synonyms of justice
5. title noun
Justice is used before the names of judges.
A preliminary hearing was due to start today before Mr Justice Hutchison, but wasadjourned.
6. See also miscarriage of justice
7.
See bring someone to justice
8.
See do justice
9.
See do justice
10.
See do oneself justice
11.
See rough justice
12.
See rough justice
More Synonyms of justice
justice in British English
(ˈdʒʌstɪs)
noun
1.
the quality or fact of being just
2. ethics
a.
the principle of fairness that like cases should be treated alike
b.
a particular distribution of benefits and burdens fairly in accordance with a particular conception of what are to count as like cases
c.
the principle that punishment should be proportionate to the offence
3.
the administration of law according to prescribed and accepted principles
4.
conformity to the law; legal validity
5.
a judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature
6. short for justice of the peace
7.
good reason (esp in the phrase with justice)
she was disgusted by their behaviour, and with justice
8. do justice to
9. do oneself justice
10. bring to justice
Word origin
C12: from Old French, from Latin jūstitia, from justusjust
justice in American English
(ˈdʒʌstɪs)
noun
1.
the quality of being righteous; rectitude
2.
impartiality; fairness
3.
the quality of being right or correct
4.
sound reason; rightfulness; validity
5.
reward or penalty as deserved; just deserts
6.
a.
the use of authority and power to uphold what is right, just, or lawful
b. [J-]
the personification of this, usually a blindfolded goddess holding scales and a sword
7.
the administration of law; procedure of a law court
8.
a.
judge (sense 1)
b.
justice of the peace
Idioms:
bring to justice
do justice to
do oneself justice
Word origin
OFr < L justitia < justus: see just1
Examples of 'justice' in a sentence
justice
As he could not get justice he decided to escape.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Where is the justice in this country?
The Sun (2017)
There is something criminal about our justice system.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is little social justice in that.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The most important criminal justice reforms are social justice reforms.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The scope for reducing the prison population without endangering public safety or confidence in the criminal justice system is in reducing long sentences.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The justice secretary is blaming her predecessors for the crisis in prisons and says that there are too few officers to run them properly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The shadow justice secretary discovered metal at the age of eight while on holiday on Malta and recently had his own band.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She said:'Our legal system is an open justice system.
The Sun (2016)
It has improved the service quality, productivity and efficiency of many of its forensic, criminal justice and training services.
Computing (2010)
We proved that economic efficiency and social justice are not opposites but partners in progress.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They must be able to hold local criminal justice agencies to account.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There is a good deal of justice in the allegations.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We will keep going until we can finally get justice.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Where is the justice in this country?
The Sun (2013)
What price access to justice for injured people?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We are more diverse than any other part of the criminal justice system.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Last night justice ministers were blasted for going soft on criminals.
The Sun (2014)
The people in our churches are always looking for fairness and justice.
Christianity Today (2000)
Justice would be well served by doing away with juries and letting judges preside.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
What steps can a woman justifiably take if there is no redress in law or natural justice?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is not clear how it would serve the cause of justice to broadcast these things.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It seems that along with capital punishment we abolished justice.
The Sun (2011)
Socialists place before us ideals of equality and social justice.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The criminal justice system is becoming a joke.
The Sun (2010)
This way any victims previously too scared to come forward can get justice.
The Sun (2013)
What is wrong with this country and the justice system?
The Sun (2009)
Now she explores the concept of restorative justice to deal with offences and as an alternative to prison.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But the new justice secretary is determined to bring about a revolution in prisons as radical as his reforms in schools.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Quotations
It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent sufferWilliam BlackstoneCommentaries
Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanityAlexander SolzhenitsynLetter to three students
Things go wrong in life. Justice is not done, and people sort of get used to itPatricia Highsmith
In England, justice is open to all - like the Ritz HotelJames Mathew
Justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be doneLord Hewart
For me, justice is the first condition of humanityWole SoyinkaThe Man Died
In other languages
justice
British English: justice /ˈdʒʌstɪs/ NOUN
Justice is fairness in the way that people are treated.
He only wants freedom, justice and equality.
American English: justice
Arabic: عَدَالَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: justiça
Chinese: 正义
Croatian: pravda
Czech: spravedlnost
Danish: retfærdighed
Dutch: gerechtigheid
European Spanish: justicia
Finnish: oikeudenmukaisuus
French: justice
German: Gerechtigkeit
Greek: δικαιοσύνη
Italian: giustizia
Japanese: 正義
Korean: 정의
Norwegian: rettferdighet
Polish: sprawiedliwość
European Portuguese: justiça
Romanian: dreptate
Russian: справедливость
Latin American Spanish: justicia
Swedish: rättvisa
Thai: ความยุติธรรม
Turkish: adalet
Ukrainian: справедливість
Vietnamese: công lý
All related terms of 'justice'
do justice
To do justice to a person or thing means to reproduce them accurately and show how good they are.
chief justice
A Chief Justice is the most important judge of a court of law , especially a supreme court.
justice court
an inferior court presided over by a justice of the peace
rough justice
If you describe someone's treatment or punishment as rough justice , you mean that it is not given according to the law.
natural justice
the principles and procedures that govern the adjudication of disputes between persons or organizations, chief among which are that the adjudication should be unbiased and given in good faith , and that each party should have equal access to the tribunal and should be aware of arguments and documents adduced by the other
poetic justice
If you describe something bad that happens to someone as poetic justice , you mean that it is exactly what they deserve because of the things that person has done.
social justice
the principle that all members of society have equal rights and opportunities
street justice
the punishment given by members of the public to people regarded as criminals or wrongdoers
do justice to
to show to full advantage
Justice Department
the United States federal department for enforcing federal laws
bring to justice
to capture , try , and usually punish (a criminal , an outlaw , etc)
College of Justice
the official name for the Scottish Court of Session ; the supreme court of Scotland
court of justice
a legal court
do oneself justice
If you do yourself justice , you do something as well as you are capable of doing it.
Lord Chief Justice
(in England and Wales ) the highest law officer of the Crown , responsible for the functioning and independence of the courts, and formerly presiding over the Court of Appeal , House of Lords , and the Chancery Division
restorative justice
a method of dealing with convicted criminals in which they are urged to accept responsibility for their offences through meeting victims , making amends to victims or the community , etc
criminal justice system
the combination of courts and legal processes that deal with crime
High Court of Justice
(in England and Wales ) one of the two divisions of the Supreme Court of Judicature
justice of the peace
In Britain, a Justice of the Peace is a person who is not a lawyer but who can act as a judge in a local criminal law court . The abbreviation → JP is also used.
miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice is a wrong decision made by a court, as a result of which an innocent person is punished.
obstruction of justice
a criminal offence that involves attempting to obstruct the process of law
social justice warrior
a person who campaigns zealously and vociferously for causes associated with social justice
bring someone to justice
If a criminal is brought to justice , he or she is punished for a crime by being arrested and tried in a court of law .
European Court of Justice
The highest court of the European Union . It monitors the equal application of law throughout the EU.
Lord Justice of Appeal
an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal
International Court of Justice
a court established in the Hague to settle disputes brought by nations that are parties to the Statute of the Court
justice of the peace court
(in Scotland, formerly) a court with limited criminal jurisdiction held by justices of the peace in counties : replaced in 1975 by the district court
Lord Chief Justice of England
(in England and Wales ) the highest law officer of the Crown , responsible for the functioning and independence of the courts, and formerly presiding over the Court of Appeal , House of Lords , and the Chancery Division
Uniform Code of Military Justice
the body of laws governing members of the U.S. armed forces: superseded the Articles of War in 1951
Chief Justice of the United States
the presiding judge of the U.S. Supreme Court
to pervert the course of justice
If someone perverts the course of justice , they deliberately do something that will make it difficult to discover who really committed a particular crime , for example, destroying evidence or lying to the police .
Lord Chief Justice (Brit, Law) 首席大法官 (shǒuxí dà fǎguān)
to do justice to sb/sth使某人/某物达(達)到最佳效果 (shǐ mǒurén/mǒuwù dádào zuì jiā xiàoguǒ)
⇒ The photograph I had seen didn't do her justice.照片没有她本人好看。 (Zhàopiàn méiyǒu tā běnrén hǎokàn.)
she didn't do herself justice她没(沒)有充分发(發)挥(揮)自己的才能 (tā méiyǒu chōngfèn fāhuī zìjǐ de cáinéng)
to bring sb to justice把某人缉(緝)拿归(歸)案 (bǎ mǒurén jī'ná guī'àn)
All related terms of 'justice'
Lord Chief Justice
( Brit : Law ) 首席大法官 shǒuxí dà fǎguān
miscarriage of justice
误(誤)判 wùpàn
to administer justice
执(執)法 zhífǎ
to bring sb to justice
把某人缉(緝)拿归(歸)案 bǎ mǒurén jī'ná guī'àn
she didn't do herself justice
她没(沒)有充分发(發)挥(揮)自己的才能 tā méiyǒu chōngfèn fāhuī zìjǐ de cáinéng
to do justice to sb/sth
使某人/某物达(達)到最佳效果 shǐ mǒurén/mǒuwù dádào zuì jiā xiàoguǒ ⇒ The photograph I had seen didn't do her justice. → 照片没有她本人好看。 Zhàopiàn méiyǒu tā běnrén hǎokàn.
to pervert the course of justice
滥(濫)用司法程序 lànyòng sīfǎ chéngxù
JP
Justice of the Peace 地方执(執)法官 dìfāng zhífǎguān
1 (noun)
Definition
the quality of being just
There is no justice in this world!
Synonyms
fairness
equity
a system based on social justice and equity
integrity
I have always regarded him as a man of integrity.
honesty
decency
impartiality
a justice system lacking impartiality
rectitude
people of the utmost rectitude
reasonableness
uprightness
a contest in which courage and uprightness win through
justness
rightfulness
right
Opposites
wrong
,
injustice
,
dishonesty
,
favouritism
,
unfairness
,
inequity
,
partiality
,
unreasonableness
,
unlawfulness
2 (noun)
Definition
the quality of being just
We must win people round to the justice of our cause.
Synonyms
justness
fairness
concern about the fairness of the election campaign
legitimacy
reasonableness
right
a fight between right and wrong
integrity
honesty
It's time for complete honesty from political representatives.
legality
The auditor has questioned the legality of the contracts.
rectitude
Has the rectitude of this principle ever been formally contested?
rightfulness
3 (noun)
Definition
the administration of law according to prescribed and accepted principles
A lawyer is part of the machinery of justice.
Synonyms
law
4 (noun)
Definition
a judge
a justice on the Supreme Court
Synonyms
judge
The judge adjourned the hearing until next Tuesday.
magistrate
The magistrate ordered them to pay £3000 compensation.
beak (British, slang)
The beak told him he'd go down if he did anything like it again.
His, Her or Your Honour
5 (noun)
Synonyms
amends
penalty
compensation
The present she left him was no compensation for her absence.
correction
redress
a legal battle to seek some redress from the government
reparation
a demand amongst victims for some sort of reparation
recompense
He demands no financial recompense for his troubles.
related words
related phobiadikephobia
Quotations
It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer [William Blackstone – Commentaries]Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity [Alexander Solzhenitsyn – Letter to three students]Things go wrong in life. Justice is not done, and people sort of get used to it [Patricia Highsmith]In England, justice is open to all - like the Ritz Hotel [James Mathew]Justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done [Lord Hewart]For me, justice is the first condition of humanity [Wole Soyinka – The Man Died]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of beak
Definition
a judge, magistrate, or headmaster
The beak told him he'd go down if he did anything like it again.
Synonyms
magistrate,
justice,
sheriff
in the sense of compensation
Definition
the act of making amends for something
The present she left him was no compensation for her absence.
Synonyms
recompense,
amends,
reparation,
restitution,
atonement
in the sense of equity
Definition
the quality of being impartial
a system based on social justice and equity
Synonyms
fairness,
justice,
integrity,
honesty,
fair play,
righteousness,
impartiality,
rectitude,
reasonableness,
even-handedness,
fair-mindedness,
uprightness,
equitableness
Synonyms of 'justice'
justice
Explore 'justice' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of honesty
Definition
the quality of being truthful and trustworthy
It's time for complete honesty from political representatives.
Synonyms
integrity,
honour,
virtue,
morality,
fidelity,
probity (formal),
rectitude,
veracity,
faithfulness,
truthfulness,
trustworthiness,
straightness,
incorruptibility,
scrupulousness,
uprightness,
reputability
in the sense of impartiality
a justice system lacking impartiality
Synonyms
neutrality,
equity,
fairness,
equality,
detachment,
objectivity,
disinterest,
open-mindedness,
even-handedness,
disinterestedness,
dispassion,
nonpartisanship,
lack of bias
in the sense of integrity
Definition
honesty
I have always regarded him as a man of integrity.
Synonyms
honesty,
principle,
honour,
virtue,
goodness,
morality,
purity,
righteousness,
probity (formal),
rectitude,
truthfulness,
trustworthiness,
incorruptibility,
uprightness,
scrupulousness,
reputability
in the sense of legality
Definition
the state or quality of being legal or lawful
The auditor has questioned the legality of the contracts.
Synonyms
lawfulness,
validity,
legitimacy,
accordance with the law,
permissibility,
rightfulness,
admissibleness
in the sense of magistrate
Definition
a public officer concerned with the administration of law
The magistrate ordered them to pay £3000 compensation.
Synonyms
judge,
justice,
provost (Scottish),
bailie (Scottish),
justice of the peace,
J.P.
in the sense of recompense
Definition
compensation for loss or injury
He demands no financial recompense for his troubles.
Synonyms
compensation,
pay,
payment,
satisfaction,
amends,
repayment,
remuneration,
reparation,
indemnity,
restitution,
damages,
emolument,
indemnification,
requital
in the sense of rectitude
Definition
moral or religious correctness
people of the utmost rectitude
Synonyms
morality,
principle,
honour,
virtue,
decency,
justice,
equity,
integrity,
goodness,
honesty,
correctness,
righteousness,
probity (formal),
incorruptibility,
scrupulousness,
uprightness
in the sense of rectitude
Has the rectitude of this principle ever been formally contested?
Synonyms
correctness,
justice,
accuracy,
precision,
verity,
rightness,
soundness,
exactness
in the sense of redress
Definition
compensation or reparation
a legal battle to seek some redress from the government
Synonyms
amends,
payment,
compensation,
reparation,
restitution,
atonement,
recompense,
requital,
quittance
in the sense of reparation
Definition
the act of making up for loss or injury
a demand amongst victims for some sort of reparation
Synonyms
compensation,
damages,
repair,
satisfaction,
amends,
renewal,
redress,
indemnity,
restitution,
atonement,
recompense,
propitiation,
requital
Additional synonyms
in the sense of right
Definition
anything that accords with the principles of legal or moral justice
a fight between right and wrong
Synonyms
justice,
good,
reason,
truth,
honour,
equity,
virtue,
integrity,
goodness,
morality,
fairness,
legality,
righteousness,
propriety,
rectitude,
lawfulness,
uprightness
in the sense of uprightness
a contest in which courage and uprightness win through