2just adverb
1 : to an exact degree or in an exact manner
▪ You look just [=exactly] like your father. ▪ The store has just the tool you need. ▪ That's just what I expected. ▪ You have to accept me just as I am. ▪ This shirt fits just right. ▪ She called him a liar and told him he was just like all the other men she'd met. ▪ It's just like you to be jealous every time I speak to another woman. [=you're always jealous when I speak to another woman] — see also just my luck at 1luck 2 a : very recently
▪ The bell just rang. ▪ He was just here a minute ago. ▪ She had just returned when he entered. ▪ She has just acted in her first play. = (chiefly US) She just acted in her first play. ▪ I've just been trying to call you! = (chiefly US) I was just trying to call you!
b : at this or that exact moment or time
▪ I was just going to telephone you! ▪ She's just finishing a letter, and she'll be with you shortly.
c — used to say that two or more events are happening at the same time or with very little time between them ▪ He confessed just before he died. ▪ The phone rang just as/when we were leaving. ▪ I came just as soon as I heard the news.
d — used to emphasize that a moment or time is not far from the present moment ▪ She'll be back in just a minute. [=she'll be back very soon] ▪ I saw her here just yesterday. 3 a : by a small amount
▪ I had just [=barely] enough time to eat breakfast before leaving. ▪ I arrived just in time to see him win. ▪ We could (only) just see the ship coming over the horizon. ▪ The horse's time for the race was just short of the record. = The horse just missed breaking the record. ▪ It should take us just [=slightly] under/over an hour to get there.
b : by a small distance
▪ She lives just west of here. ▪ The bathroom is just down the hall. ▪ Just [=directly] across from the bank is a hotel. ▪ The restaurant is just around the corner. — see also just around the corner at 1corner 4 a : nothing more than : only
▪ This is just [=simply] a note to say I love you. ▪ He is just an assistant to the manager. ▪ She was just a baby when her father went off to war. ▪ Is it just a coincidence that I see him everywhere I go? ▪ He has just two months left before his retirement. ▪ “Will you have another drink?” “Well, perhaps just (the) one.” ▪ I don't know him well: I've met him just (the) once. [=I've met him only one time] ▪ “Who is she?” “Oh, just somebody who works in the same office as me.” ▪ I love just you and nobody else but you. ▪ She'll be away from her desk for just a few minutes. = She'll just be away from her desk for a few minutes. ▪ They took a nice field and turned it into just another shopping mall. ▪ He's just another guy trying to get rich without working too hard.
b — used to stress the simple truth of a description or statement ▪ We'd like to buy a new car. We just [=simply] don't have enough money. ▪ Sometimes a person just wants to be left alone. ▪ She just wanted to say goodbye. ▪ You'll just have to be patient. ▪ I'm sorry if I seem grouchy. I'm just tired. ▪ The wedding was just wonderful. ▪ I feel just great! ▪ The kids want to camp in the backyard, just for fun. [=simply to have fun]
c — used in polite requests ▪ Could I just borrow that pen for a minute? Thanks! ▪ Would you just step this way, please, ladies and gentlemen.
d — used for emphasis when you give an order or make a suggestion ▪ Why don't we just forget the whole thing. ▪ Just hold on a minute! Did you say you'd solved the problem?! ▪ Just [=simply] tell him you don't feel like going out. ▪ Just (you) wait until your father sees this mess, young lady! ▪ Don't argue with me: just do it! ▪ Just imagine how silly she'll feel when she realizes that she was wrong. ▪ Just look at the size of that thing! ▪ Just think how happy we could be.
e — used to describe what someone does instead of doing what is necessary or expected ▪ Don't just stand there: do something! ▪ She just stood there watching as he walked away. ▪ I can't just pretend nothing happened. 5 — used with words like might and may to refer to something that is possible ▪ I know you don't expect him to succeed, but he might just surprise you. [=he might succeed] ▪ It's a crazy idea, but it just might work! ▪ You know, you just might be right about that. 6 Brit, informal : indeed
▪ Isn't the city hot, just!
▪ You look just [=exactly] like your father. ▪ The store has just the tool you need. ▪ That's just what I expected. ▪ You have to accept me just as I am. ▪ This shirt fits just right. ▪ She called him a liar and told him he was just like all the other men she'd met. ▪ It's just like you to be jealous every time I speak to another woman. [=you're always jealous when I speak to another woman] — see also just my luck at 1luck
▪ The bell just rang. ▪ He was just here a minute ago. ▪ She had just returned when he entered. ▪ She has just acted in her first play. = (chiefly US) She just acted in her first play. ▪ I've just been trying to call you! = (chiefly US) I was just trying to call you!
b : at this or that exact moment or time
▪ I was just going to telephone you! ▪ She's just finishing a letter, and she'll be with you shortly.
c — used to say that two or more events are happening at the same time or with very little time between them ▪ He confessed just before he died. ▪ The phone rang just as/when we were leaving. ▪ I came just as soon as I heard the news.
d — used to emphasize that a moment or time is not far from the present moment ▪ She'll be back in just a minute. [=she'll be back very soon] ▪ I saw her here just yesterday.
▪ I had just [=barely] enough time to eat breakfast before leaving. ▪ I arrived just in time to see him win. ▪ We could (only) just see the ship coming over the horizon. ▪ The horse's time for the race was just short of the record. = The horse just missed breaking the record. ▪ It should take us just [=slightly] under/over an hour to get there.
b : by a small distance
▪ She lives just west of here. ▪ The bathroom is just down the hall. ▪ Just [=directly] across from the bank is a hotel. ▪ The restaurant is just around the corner. — see also just around the corner at 1corner
▪ This is just [=simply] a note to say I love you. ▪ He is just an assistant to the manager. ▪ She was just a baby when her father went off to war. ▪ Is it just a coincidence that I see him everywhere I go? ▪ He has just two months left before his retirement. ▪ “Will you have another drink?” “Well, perhaps just (the) one.” ▪ I don't know him well: I've met him just (the) once. [=I've met him only one time] ▪ “Who is she?” “Oh, just somebody who works in the same office as me.” ▪ I love just you and nobody else but you. ▪ She'll be away from her desk for just a few minutes. = She'll just be away from her desk for a few minutes. ▪ They took a nice field and turned it into just another shopping mall. ▪ He's just another guy trying to get rich without working too hard.
b — used to stress the simple truth of a description or statement ▪ We'd like to buy a new car. We just [=simply] don't have enough money. ▪ Sometimes a person just wants to be left alone. ▪ She just wanted to say goodbye. ▪ You'll just have to be patient. ▪ I'm sorry if I seem grouchy. I'm just tired. ▪ The wedding was just wonderful. ▪ I feel just great! ▪ The kids want to camp in the backyard, just for fun. [=simply to have fun]
c — used in polite requests ▪ Could I just borrow that pen for a minute? Thanks! ▪ Would you just step this way, please, ladies and gentlemen.
d — used for emphasis when you give an order or make a suggestion ▪ Why don't we just forget the whole thing. ▪ Just hold on a minute! Did you say you'd solved the problem?! ▪ Just [=simply] tell him you don't feel like going out. ▪ Just (you) wait until your father sees this mess, young lady! ▪ Don't argue with me: just do it! ▪ Just imagine how silly she'll feel when she realizes that she was wrong. ▪ Just look at the size of that thing! ▪ Just think how happy we could be.
e — used to describe what someone does instead of doing what is necessary or expected ▪ Don't just stand there: do something! ▪ She just stood there watching as he walked away. ▪ I can't just pretend nothing happened.
▪ Isn't the city hot, just!
just about
: almost or nearly
▪ It was just about time to leave. ▪ The work is just about done. ▪ That is just about the biggest horse I have ever seen. [=that is a very big horse] ▪ That is just about the stupidest thing she has ever done.
▪ It was just about time to leave. ▪ The work is just about done. ▪ That is just about the biggest horse I have ever seen. [=that is a very big horse] ▪ That is just about the stupidest thing she has ever done.
just a minute/second/moment 1 — used to ask someone to wait or stop briefly ▪ Just a second and I will get that book for you. 2 — used to demand that someone stop or listen ▪ Just a minute, young lady! You can't park there!
just anyone
: any person at all
▪ I don't lend money to just anyone.
▪ I don't lend money to just anyone.
just as
: to an equal degree as
▪ Our house is just as nice as theirs. ▪ This one is just as good as that one. ▪ She performs just as well as he does. : in the same way as ▪ Just as we hope to be forgiven, so we should forgive others. ▪ Just as I thought/suspected, the door is locked. [=I thought that the door would be locked, and it is]
▪ Our house is just as nice as theirs. ▪ This one is just as good as that one. ▪ She performs just as well as he does. : in the same way as ▪ Just as we hope to be forgiven, so we should forgive others. ▪ Just as I thought/suspected, the door is locked. [=I thought that the door would be locked, and it is]
just as soon
◊If you would just as soon do something, you would prefer to do it.
▪ We asked him to come with us, but he said he'd just as soon stay home.
▪ We asked him to come with us, but he said he'd just as soon stay home.
just as well
◊If it is just as well that something happens, then it is a good thing, even if it was not expected or intended.
▪ It's just as well she didn't get that job, since she will now be closer to home. ▪ I really didn't want to stay home this weekend, but it's just as well. I have a lot to do.
▪ It's just as well she didn't get that job, since she will now be closer to home. ▪ I really didn't want to stay home this weekend, but it's just as well. I have a lot to do.
just because — see because
just like that
: very suddenly
▪ The girl vanished just like that. ▪ Just like that it started raining.
▪ The girl vanished just like that. ▪ Just like that it started raining.
just now or just this minute/second 1 : a moment ago
▪ I saw him just now. ▪ I was just this minute thinking about calling you. 2 : at this moment
▪ They are just now heading out the door.
▪ I saw him just now. ▪ I was just this minute thinking about calling you.
▪ They are just now heading out the door.
just on
just so
: in a particular way
▪ They feel they have to dress just so to be popular. : arranged in a very neat and tidy way ▪ Everything in her house has to be just so or she gets upset. [=everything has to be exactly as she likes it]
▪ They feel they have to dress just so to be popular. : arranged in a very neat and tidy way ▪ Everything in her house has to be just so or she gets upset. [=everything has to be exactly as she likes it]
just the same — see 2same
just the thing
: the best or perfect thing
▪ I have just the thing for your hair.
▪ I have just the thing for your hair.
just yet
: right now — used in negative constructions to say that something is not done yet or true yet but will be soon ▪ I don't have the table finished just yet. ▪ “Are you ready to leave?” “Not just yet.”
not just
— used to say that one thing is true and that another thing is also true ▪ She's not just my friend, she's my lawyer.
