/'dʒʌstɪfaɪ; `dʒʌstə,faɪ/
v (pt, pp -fied)
1 [Tn, Tg, Tsg] show that (sb/sth) is right, reasonable or just 表明或证明（某人[某事]）是正当的、有理的或公正的
*Such action can be justified on the grounds of greater efficiency. 以提高功效为依据可以证明采取这种措施是 正确的.
* You shouldn't attempt to justify yourself. 你不应想方设法证明自己有理.
* You can't justify neglecting your wife and children. 你不关心妻子儿女是说不过去的.
* They found it hard to justify their son's giving up a secure well-paid job. 他们难以理解儿子竟放弃了收入颇丰的稳定工作.
2 [Tn, Tg, Tsg] be a good reason for (sth) 为（某事）的正当理由
*Improved productivity justifies an increase in wages. 提高了生产力理应增加工资.
* Tiredness cannot possibly justify your treating staff this way. 你不能以疲劳为理由就这样对待职工.
3 [Tn] arrange (lines of type) so that the margins are even 调整（各行铅字等的位置）使版面四周空白均匀
*a justified text 四周空白均匀的版面.
4 (idm 习语) the end justifies the means => end1.

v past tense and past participlejustifiedpresent participlejustifyingthird person singularjustifies [T]

[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French;Origin: justifier, from Late Latin justificare, from Latin justus; JUST²]
to give an acceptable explanation for something that other people think is unreasonable
　Ministers must appear before parliament and justify their actions.
justify doing sth
　How can we justify spending so much money on arms?
justify yourself
(=prove that what you are doing is reasonable)
　I don't have to justify myself to you or anyone else.
to be a good and acceptable reason for something
　Nothing justifies murdering another human being.
technical to arrange lines of words on a page or computer screen so that they form a straight edge on both the right and left sides