| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| judge |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  j j |
| VERB: | Inflected forms: judged, judg·ing, judg·es
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To form an opinion or estimation of after careful consideration: judge heights; judging character. 2a. Law To hear and decide on in a court of law; try: judge a case. b. Obsolete To pass sentence on; condemn. c. To act as one appointed to decide the winners of: judge an essay contest. 3. To determine or declare after consideration or deliberation. 4. Informal To have as an opinion or assumption; suppose: I judge you're right. 5. Bible To govern; rule. Used of an ancient Israelite leader. | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To form an opinion or evaluation. 2. To act or decide as a judge. | | NOUN: | 1. One who judges, especially: a. One who makes estimates as to worth, quality, or fitness: a good judge of used cars; a poor judge of character. b. abbr. J. Law A public official who hears and decides cases brought before a court of law. c. Law A bankruptcy referee. d. One appointed to decide the winners of a contest or competition. 2. Bible a. A leader of the Israelites during a period of about 400 years between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul. b. Judges (used with a sing. verb) abbr. Judg. or Jgs or Jg See table at Bible. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English jugen, from Anglo-Norman juger, from Latin i dic re, from idex, idic-, judge. See deik- in Appendix I. | | SYNONYMS: | judge, arbitrator, arbiter, referee, umpire These nouns denote persons who make decisions that determine or settle points at issue. A judge is one capable of making rational, dispassionate, and wise decisions: In this case, the jury members are the judges of the truth. An arbitrator is either appointed or derives authority from the consent of the disputants: An experienced arbitrator mediated the contract dispute. An arbiter is one whose opinion or judgment is recognized as being unassailable or binding: The critic considered himself an arbiter of fine literature. A referee is an attorney appointed by a court to investigate and report on a case: The referee handled many bankruptcy cases each month. An umpire is a person appointed to settle an issue that arbitrators are unable to resolve: The umpire studied complex tax cases. In sports referee and umpire refer to officials who enforce the rules and settle points at issue.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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