Justify

v. t. [imp. & p. p. JUSTIFIED; p. pr. & vb. n. JUSTIFYING.] [Fr. justifier, Pr. justificar, justificar, Sp. & Pg. justificar, It. giustificare, Lat. justificare, fr. justus, just, and facere, to make.] 1. To prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate as right; to warrant. That to the height of this great argument I may assert eternal providence, And justify the ways of God to man. Milton. Curable evils justify clamorous complaints; the incurable justify only prayers. De Quincey. Unless the oppression is so extreme as to justify revolution, it would not justify the evil of breaking up a government. E. Everett. 2. To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to absolve; to clear. I can not justify whom the law condemns. Shak. 3. (Theol.) To treat as just, though guilty and deserving punishment; to pardon; to absolve. By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts xiii. 39. 4. To prove by evidence. [Obs.] But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded, I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you, And justify you traitors. Shak. 5. (Print.) To form even or true lines of, as type, by proper spacing; to adjust. Syn.—To defend; maintain; vindicate; excuse; exculpate; absolve.

v. i. (Print.) To form an even surface or true line with something else; to conform exactly; to agree.