Forms: 3–5 iugge, 3–6 iuge, (5 iewge, 6 guge), 6–7 iudge, (7–8 judg), 7– judge. [ME. a. OF. jugier, AF. juger = Pr. jutjar, jutgar, Sp. juzgar, It. giudicare:—L. jūdicāre, f. jūdex, jūdicem JUDGE.]
I. Transitive senses.
1. To try, or pronounce sentence upon (a person) in a court of justice; to sit in judgment upon. (Also said of God or Christ: cf. prec. 2.)
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 183/89. Heo stoden and Iuggeden hire a-mong heom alle.
1382. Wyclif, John xii. 48. He that dispisith me … hath him that schal iuge him.
1483. Caxton, Cato, G iij. Whan tho seest somme persone euyl fortunate or accused or iuged of somme vyce.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 11. Our Mediator and our remeid, Sall cum to Juge baith quick and deide.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 330. Then all thy Saints assembl’d, thou shalt judge Bad men and Angels.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 408. The dead are first of all judged according to their deeds.
† 2. spec. To pronounce sentence against (a person); to sentence, condemn. Const. to (the penalty), or to do or suffer (something). Obs.
c. 1310. Flemish Insurr., in Pol. Songs (Camden), 190. The barouns of Fraunce thider conne gon … To jugge the Flemmisshe to bernen and to slon.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 116. (Apostles’ Creed) At þe laste he schal come doun here to man, and jugge sum to blysse and oþer to helle.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), III. 291. He [Socrates] was iuggede to prison, and poysonede in prison.
c. 1450. Merlin, 15. Ye shull neuer be Iuged to deth for my cause.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxxxii. 252. The kynge iuged Huon to dye.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law (1635), 17. Some whose offences are pilfring … they judge to be whipped.
1675. Brooks, Gold. Key, Wks. 1867, V. 129. To call the souls to an account, and judge them to their state.
3. To give sentence concerning (a matter); to try (a cause); to determine, decide (a question).
1513. More, in Grafton, Chron. (1568), II. 766. To remaine … till the matter were … examined … and either iudged or appeased.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 142. It was agreed, that all matters concernyng the aforesayde articles or statutes … should be demed and iudged by the French king.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 248. The Consul of the City there … is vulgarly called Burgomaster, and he judgeth all civill and criminal causes.
1690. Tate & Brady, Ps. xxxv. 1. Judge and defend my cause, O Lord.
4. To decide by judicial authority that something is to be done, or is the fact; to decree, order. (With obj. and inf., or obj. cl.)
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 2609. Bi heighe mennes conseyl The king was iugged Ygerne to spouse.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 106. Ȝif þe Iustise wol Iugge hire to be Ioynet with Fals. Ȝit be-war of þe weddyng, for witti is treuþe.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 101. Thenne the kyng iuged that the child shold be gyuen to her that wold haue hym to be saued.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 77. But the pretendents being heard, the King shoulde iudge to whom the Realme belonged.
5. To assign or award by judgment; to adjudge; to decree. Now rare or Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 181. Cesar is i-made consul, and Gallia was iuged [decreta] to him.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2407. Yf þou Iuge it to Iono, this ioye shall þou haue.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, ci. 332. Ye false traytours, youre dethes is Iuged.
1595. [see JUDGED].
1634. Milton, L’Allegro, 122. Ladies whose bright eyes Rain influence and judge the prize Of wit or arms.
1817. W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4), II. 704. Where two persons are in possession, the possession is judged in him who hath right.
† 6. To administer (law) as a judge. Obs.
c. 1380. Antecrist, in Todd, Three Treat. Wyclif (1851), 144. Þei syten in þe trones wiþ gloriouse myters jugyng & demyng her owne made lawes.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 180. To deme and jugge commun lawe.
7. To have jurisdiction over, to govern or rule as an Israelitish judge (cf. prec. 3). Also absol. To hold the office of a judge.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7018. Barach, and wit him Delbora, Þai iuged fourti yeir or ma.
c. 1450. Cov. Myst., xxx. (Shaks. Soc.), 303. Herowde is kyng of that countre, To jewge that regyon in lenth and in brede.
1558. Knox, First Blast (Arb.), 40. The example of Debora … when she iudged Israel.
1611. Bible, Judg. xii. 13. After him, Abdon, the sonne of Hillel a Pirathonite iudged Israel.
8. To declare or pronounce authoritatively (a person) to be (so-and-so). Const. for, or with inf., or simple complement. ? Obs. or merged in 11 b.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6311. God iugged me for a theef trichour.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 50. Beyng … suche a one (as Appollo iudged hym by his Oracle to bee wise).
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 4. Hee was judged an unprofitable servant.
1721. St. German’s Doctor & Stud., 219. That he should be taken for heir, that should be judged for heir by the law.
† b. with obj. cl. To pronounce as an opinion or authoritative statement; to declare. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. I. 183. For Iames þe gentil iugged in his bokes, That faith with-oute þe faite is riȝte no þinge worthi.
9. To form an opinion about; to exercise the mind upon (something) so as to arrive at a correct or sound notion of it; to estimate; to appraise.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 118. No mon ne mei juggen blod wel er hit beo cold.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 7. Quere-so-euer I Iugged gemmez gaye, I sette hyr sengeley in synglure.
1485. Bk. St. Albans, E j b. The .vi. yere euermoore at the leest Thow shalt well Iuge the perche of thessame beest.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Cor. x. 15. I speake vnto them which haue discrecioun: iudge ye what I say.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. ii. 194. Men iudge by the complexion of the Skie The state and inclination of the day.
1671. Temple, Orig. Govt., § 6. The safety and firmness of any frame of government may be best judged by the rules of architecture.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 337. But most by Numbers judge a Poet’s song.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., xxi. (1875), 378. Institutions, like men, should be judged by their prime.
† b. transf. To be a test or criterion of. rare.
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., I. ii. If outward habit judge the inward man.
10. To pronounce an opinion upon, to criticize; esp. to pronounce an adverse opinion upon, to condemn, censure. Also absol. (In quot. 1377, To express or pronounce one’s opinion about.)
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. II. 94. To drynke at dyuerse tauernes, And there to iangle and to iape, and iugge here euene cristene. Ibid., VII. 161. Þanne Iacob iugged iosephes sweuene.
1526. Tindale, Matt. vii. 1, 2. Iudge not lest ye be iudged. For as ye iudge so shal ye be iudged.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., Prol. 34. Who Prologue-like, your humble patience pray, Gently to heare, kindly to iudge our Play.
1782. Cowper, Progr. Err., 611. But if the wanderer his mistake discern, Judge his own ways, and sigh for a return.
1884. J. Cubitt, in Contemp. Rev., XLVI. 99. Every workman was thus known and judged by those who could judge him best.
11. with obj. cl. To form the opinion, or hold as an opinion; to come to a conclusion, infer; to apprehend, think, consider, suppose.
1297. R. Gouc. (Rolls), 4154. Ac þe king ne Iugede noȝt þat it ssolde be so ydo. Ibid., 9354. Me Iuggede wat it ssolde be to tokni þis cas.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 1203. He nyste what he Iuggen of it myghte.
1508. Dunbar’s Flyting, 48**. Iuge in the nixt quha got the war.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 177. As by an Ivie garland, we iudge there is wine to sell.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. ii. 139. I see things too, although you iudge I winke.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 224. Small townes I judge they were.
1796. Eliza Hamilton, Lett. Hindoo Rajah, I. 206. Judge how this shocked and offended me?
1850. Scoresby, Cheever’s Whaleman’s Adv., vii. (1859), 97. Some whalemen judge it does not attain its full size until twenty-five years.
b. with obj. and inf. or simple complement (rarely with to or for): To infer, conclude, or suppose to be.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 697. Iuno þe ioilese ȝe iuggen for noble.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. IX. 84. Iuwes þat we iugge Iudas felawes.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 169. Þanne þe wounde is iugid mortal.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 13. Iuging in him grete corage.
1538. Starkey, England, I. ii. 58. The sanguyn complexyon ys gugyd of other chefe and best for the mayntenance of helthe of the body.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 25. When they haue iudg’d me fast asleepe.
1653. Walton, Angler, i. 13. I hope you will not judge my earnestness to be impatience.
1721. Gay, Fables, I. xxiii. Who friendship with a knave hath made, Is judg’d a partner in the trade.
1755. B. Martin, Mag. Arts & Sci., I. II. 119. They judge the Moon to be a Globe like our Earth.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 115. It was … judged better to begin the attack at once.
12. with cognate obj. (esp. with qualification).
1526. Tindale, John vii. 24. Judge not after the vtter aperaunce: but iudge rightewes iudgement.
1560. [see JUDGEMENT 3].
† 13. refl. ? To submit oneself to the judgment of; to commit oneself to. Obs. rare.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 308. Yf be trewth be sowth … & that I Iugge me to skryptur.
II. Intransitive senses.
14. To act as judge; to try causes and pronounce sentences in a court of justice; to sit in judgment.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 54. (Te Deum) Þou art bileeved to come for to juge at þe laste day.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 19. And spiritus iusticie shal Iugen, wol he, nul he, After þe kynges counsaile and þe comune lyke.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. viii. 41. 2. other officers, which … may iudge of small matters being under the value of twenty crownes.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 83. As for Civill matters they may judge without appeale.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), III. 312. It was not so with the Italian princes, who judged without appeal.
1865. Seeley, Ecce Homo, iii. (ed. 8), 25. A warrior-king, judging in the gate of Jerusalem.
15. To give a decision or opinion on any matter, esp. between contending parties; to arbitrate.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 304. Crist forsook to juge in temporal goodis.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, IV. xii. Yet wylle I [Arthur] Iuge … wylle that ye gyue vnto your broder alle the hole manoir with the appertenaunce.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. v. 3. Iudge I praye you betwixte me: and my wynegardinge.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., I. iv. 10. Judge you, my Lord of Warwicke, then betweene vs.
1694. Dryden, Love Triumph., Prol. 18. If you continue judging, as you do, Every bad play will hope for damning too.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 278. God must judge ’twixt man and me.
16. To form an opinion; to arrive at a notion, esp. a sound or correct notion, about something; to make up one’s mind as to the truth of a matter; in Logic, To apprehend mentally the relation of two objects; to make a mental assertion or statement. Const. of.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. Proem 21. A blynd man ne kan Iuggen wel yn hewys.
a. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 282. Of þis ydropesie summen iugiþ liȝtli, and seien [etc.].
1598. Shaks., Merry W., III. v. 52. Let her consider his frailety, and then iudge of my merit.
a. 1679. Hobbes, Rhet., iii. (1681), 4. If he judg, he must judg either of that which is to come or of that which is past.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. 102. To be able to judg of both, ’tis necessary to have a sense of each.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 141. If we were to judge of its size by the horns.
1843. Mill, Logic, I. v. § 1. When the mind assents to a proposition it judges.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xvi. 117. From its form and colour he could … judge of its condition.
1885. J. Martineau, Types Eth. The., I. I. II. ii. § 2. 157. Understanding never judges…. It is the Will that really judges and decides on what is presented to it by the Understanding.
