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/juj/, n., v., judged, judging.n.1. a public officer authorized to hear and decide cases in a court of law; a magistrate charged with the administration of justice.2. a person appointed to decide in any competition, contest, or matter at issue; authorized arbiter: the judges of a beauty contest.3. a person qualified to pass a critical judgment: a good judge of horses.4. an administrative head of Israel in the period between the death of Joshua and the accession to the throne by Saul.5. (esp. in rural areas) a county official with supervisory duties, often employed part-time or on an honorary basis.v.t.6. to pass legal judgment on; pass sentence on (a person): The court judged him guilty.7. to hear evidence or legal arguments in (a case) in order to pass judgment; adjudicate; try: The Supreme Court is judging that case.8. to form a judgment or opinion of; decide upon critically: You can't judge a book by its cover.9. to decide or settle authoritatively; adjudge: The censor judged the book obscene and forbade its sale.10. to infer, think, or hold as an opinion; conclude about or assess: He judged her to be correct.11. to make a careful guess about; estimate: We judged the distance to be about four miles.12. (of the ancient Hebrew judges) to govern.v.i.13. to act as a judge; pass judgment: No one would judge between us.14. to form an opinion or estimate: I have heard the evidence and will judge accordingly.15. to make a mental judgment.[1175-1225; (v.) ME jugen < AF juger, OF jugier < L judicare to judge, equiv. to judic- (s. of judex) a judge + -are inf. suffix; (n.) ME juge < OF < L judicem, acc. of judex]Syn. 1. justice. 2. arbitrator. JUDGE, REFEREE, UMPIRE refer to one who is entrusted with decisions affecting others. JUDGE, in its legal and other uses, implies particularly that one has qualifications and authority for giving decisions in matters at issue: a judge appointed to the Supreme Court; a judge in the pie competition. A REFEREE usually examines and reports on the merits of a case as an aid to a court. An UMPIRE gives the final ruling when arbitrators of a case disagree. 3. connoisseur, critic. 10. determine, consider, regard. 13. adjudge, adjudicate.
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Public official vested with the authority to hear, determine, and preside over legal matters brought in court.In jury cases, the judge presides over the selection of the panel and instructs it concerning pertinent law. The judge may also rule on motions made before or during a trial. In the U.S., judges are elected or appointed. Most federal judges are appointed for life by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The highest-ranking judge in the U.S. legal system is the chief justice of the Supreme Court. See also judgment, judiciary, magistrate's court, Missouri Plan.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
