v., judged, judg·ing, judg·es. v.tr.
- To form an opinion or estimation of after careful consideration: judge heights; judging character.
- Law. To hear and decide on in a court of law; try: judge a case.
- Obsolete. To pass sentence on; condemn.
- To act as one appointed to decide the winners of: judge an essay contest.
- To determine or declare after consideration or deliberation.
- Informal. To have as an opinion or assumption; suppose: I judge you're right.
- Bible. To govern; rule. Used of an ancient Israelite leader.
- To form an opinion or evaluation.
- To act or decide as a judge.
- One who judges, especially:
- One who makes estimates as to worth, quality, or fitness: a good judge of used cars; a poor judge of character.
- (Abbr. J.) Law. A public official who hears and decides cases brought before a court of law.
- Law. A bankruptcy referee.
- One appointed to decide the winners of a contest or competition.
- Bible.
- A leader of the Israelites during a period of about 400 years between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul.
- Judges (used with a sing. verb) (Abbr. Judg. or Jgs or Jg) A book of the Bible.
[Middle English jugen, from Anglo-Norman juger, from Latin iūdicāre, from iūdex, iūdic-, judge.]
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.




