judg´er

judge «juhj», noun, verb, judged, judg|ing.

–n.

1. a public official appointed or elected to hear and decide cases in a law court: »

The judge sentenced the speeding driver to pay a fine and hear a lecture on dangerous driving.

2. a person chosen to settle a dispute or to decide who wins a race or contest: »

Sole judge of truth (Alexander Pope).

3. a person who can decide on how good a thing is: »

a good judge of dogs, a judge of character, a poor judge of poetry.

4. a ruler in ancient Israel, before the time of the kings.

╂[< Old French juge < Latin jūdex, -icis < jūs law + dīcere say]

–v.t.

1. a) to hear and decide (cases) in a law court: »

The court was unable to judge the case before all the evidence was put before it.

b) to decree; order.

2. to settle (a dispute); decide on (in a contest): »

The officials of the boys' club judged the races and other sporting events.

3. to make up one's mind about; form an opinion or estimate about: »

to judge the merits of a book, to judge a man innocent until proven guilty.

4. to think; suppose; conclude; »

I judged that you had forgotten to come. Tomorrow, then, I judge a happy day (Shakespeare).

SYNONYM(S): deem, regard, consider.

5. to criticize; blame: »

You had little cause to judge him so harshly. Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1).

SYNONYM(S): condemn.

6. to govern, as one of the judges of ancient Israel.

–v.i.

1. to act as judge: »

God must judge 'twixt man and me (Robert Browning).

2. to make up one's mind; form an opinion or estimate.

╂[Middle English juggen < Anglo-French juger, Old French jugier < Latin jūdicāre < jūdex, -icis < jūs law + dīcere say]

–judge´like´, adjective.

–judg´er, noun.