judge

 
Pronunciation: /dʒʌdʒ/

noun

  • 1a public officer appointed to decide cases in a law court: he is due to appear before a judge and jury on Monday a High Court Judge
  • a person who decides the results of a competition: a distinguished panel of judges select the winning design
  • a person able or qualified to give an opinion on something: she was a good judge of character
  • 2a leader having temporary authority in ancient Israel in the period between Joshua and the kings. See also Judges

verb

[with object]
  • form an opinion or conclusion about: a production can be judged according to the canons of aesthetic criticism [with clause]: it is hard to judge whether such opposition is justified [no object]: judging from his letters home, Monty was in good spirits
  • decide (a case) in a law court: other cases were judged by tribunal
  • [with object and complement] give a verdict on (someone) in a law court: she was judged innocent of murder
  • decide the results of (a competition): she was there to judge the contest

Derivatives

judgeship

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French juge (noun), juger (verb), from Latin judex, judic-, from jus 'law' + dicere 'to say'