v. [a. 16th c. Fr. adjuste-r (now ajuster). The OFr. ajuster, ajoster, ajouster = It. aggiustare, aggiostare (:—late L. adjuxtāre), gave rise to a med.L. adjustare, which was naturally, though erroneously, taken as a derivative of ad + jūstus, and so consciously used. After Fr. ajouster became ajouter, so that its formal relationship to aggiustare and adjustare was lost sight of, a new Fr. adjuster was formed after the latter, and received those senses of ajouster, which seemed to approach to L. jūstus, Fr. juste. In It. and Sp. also the mod. sense of aggiustare, ajustar, has been influenced by association with jūstus. Thus mod. Fr. ajuster may be viewed as a refashioning or re-forming of Fr. ajouster:—adjuxtāre, after à + juste. See also ADJOUST.]
1. To arrange, compose, settle, harmonize (things that are or may be contradictory, differences, discrepancies, accounts). To adjust an average: see ADJUSTER, ADJUSTMENT 4.
1611. Cotgr., Adjuster, To adjust, place justly, set aptly, couch evenly, joyne handsomely, match fitly, dispose orderly, severall things together.
a. 1667. Cowley, Shortn. Life, Wks. 1684, 137. If we could but learn to number our days … we should adjust much better our other Accounts.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 24, ¶ 14. To ratify the Preliminaries of a Treaty adjusted with Monsieur Torcy.
1723. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 254. I had no difficulty left but what would soon have been adjusted.
1741. H. Walpole, Lett. to H. Mann, 7 (1834), I. 20. I believe the Euston embroil is adjusted.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scotl., I. VI. 444. Four were named on each side to adjust their differences.
1762. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Painting (1786), III. 52. I am desirous of adjusting the pretensions of the three Le Fevres.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. viii. 650. Balances, which appeared on adjusting the books of the Presidency.
1866. J. Martineau, Ess., I. 145. We own the difficulty of clearly adjusting their relation.
† 2. ellipt. intr. To adjust (sc. differences, or oneself): To come to terms, or to an understanding; to arrange. Obs.
1647. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 6. Persuading him to adjust with the holy agitators.
a. 1733. North, Lives of Norths, III. 228. We had adjusted two days after to go down and agree for Besthorp.
3. To arrange or dispose (a thing) suitably in relation to something else, or to a standard or purpose. Const. to, rarely by, with.
1664. in Phil. Trans., I. 13. Having there adjusted his watches.
1690. Locke, Hum. Underst., III. ix. § 5, Wks. 1727, I. 219. No … settled standard … to rectify and adjust them by.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 86, ¶ 2. There was a great point in adjusting my behaviour to the simple Squire.
1730. Addison, Chr. Relig., 66. He [Josephus] had nothing else in view, but to adjust the event to the prediction.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 64. They have adjusted the means to that end.
1783. Blair, Rhet. (1784), xlii. 401. I know nothing more difficult in Epic Poetry, than to adjust properly the mixture of the marvellous with the probable.
1860. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea, xii. 531. To adjust the pendulum of his clock to the right length.
1862. H. Spencer, First Princ., I. iv. § 25 (1875), 84. The external relations to which the internal ones are adjusted.
4. To arrange or dispose (a thing) suitably in relation to its parts; to put in proper order or position; to regulate, systematize.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 514. Sulphurous and nitrous foam … with subtle art Concocted and adjusted.
1704. Swift, T. of Tub, i. 23. Reducing, including, and adjusting every genus and species within that compass.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 94, ¶ 4. Milton understood the force of sounds well adjusted.
1754. Sherlock, Disc., i. (1759), I. 7. The motions of the stars had been observed and adjusted.
1864. Burton, Scot Abroad, I. ii. 100. The symmetrical and scientifically adjusted court precedency of France.
b. esp. of clothes, armor, and the like; in which sense also To adjust oneself.
c. 1735. Pope, Donne Sat., IV. 242. See them … adjust their clothes.
1761. Smollett, Gil Blas, X. iv. (1802), III. 151. I … dressed myself in a hurry. Just as I had done adjusting myself, my secretary coming in.
1838. J. Grant, Sk. in London, 187. ‘Sir,’ said Mr. Abel Smith, adjusting his collar, ‘if we don’t go together, we don’t go at all.’
1864. Miss Braddon, Hen. Dunb., iii. 25. His tremulous hands could scarcely adjust his spectacles.
1878. Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 232. The men had hardly time to adjust their armour or to draw their swords.
