justice

plural justices

1. countableuncountableThe state or characteristic of being just or fair.

   the justice of a description

   2 more examples

   This even-handed justice / Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vii]

   God recognized the justice of the moon's plea and compensated for its diminution by promising that only the moon would be seen both day and night.

   2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 8

2. countableuncountableThe ideal of fairness, impartiality, etc., especially with regard to the punishment of wrongdoing.

   Justice was served.

   1 more example

   The perfect society is not to be an embodiment of the idea of justice, but one in which that idea has no meaning, since it is bound up with private property and the regulation of property relationships.

   1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 145

3. countableuncountableJudgment and punishment of a party who has allegedly wronged another.

   to demand justice

4. countableuncountableThe civil power dealing with law.

   the justice system

   1 more example

   Ministry of Justice

5. countableuncountableA title given to judges of certain courts (usually supreme courts); capitalized when placed before a name.

   Mr. Justice Krever presides over the appellate court

   1 more example

   Gee, I guess that’s up to the justices. Can’t imagine this court — which I find too conservative but not crazy — is going to issue a ruling that says a president can break any law in the land as an “official act” without consequence.

   2024 March 4, Gail Collins, Bret Stephens, “Trump Is the Leading Man”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms: justiciar, justiciary, doomsman, judg, judge, justicer, justiciar, justiciary

6. countableuncountableCorrectness, conforming to reality or rules.

   As to Perſons of Quality, they give Security to appropriate a certain Sum for each Child, ſuitable to their Condition; and theſe Funds are always managed with good Husbandry and the moſt exact Juſtice.

   1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “Of the Inhabitants of Lilliput; […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), pages 106–107

plural Justices · alternative Jestice · alternative Justiss

1. The title of a justice of court.

alternative Jestice · alternative Justiss

1. A surname originating as an occupation.
2. A male or female given name from English from the abstract noun justice.

   Justice, the elder, was his only son and heir to the Great Place, and Nomafu was the regent's daughter.

   1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus, published 1995, →ISBN, page 21

3. A place in the United States:
   1. A village in Cook County, Illinois.
   2. An unincorporated community in Franklin County, North Carolina.
   3. A census-designated place in Rogers County, Oklahoma.
   4. A census-designated place in Mingo County, West Virginia.