Justify vs. Define — What's the Difference?

To demonstrate or prove to be just, right, or valid

State or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of

To free (a human) of the guilt and penalty attached to grievous sin. Used of God.

Mark out the boundary or limits of

To demonstrate sufficient legal reason for (an action taken).

To state the precise meaning of (a word or sense of a word, for example).

To prove to be qualified as a bondsman.

To describe the nature or basic qualities of; explain

To format (a paragraph, for example) so that the lines of text begin and end evenly at a straight margin.

To make clear the outline or form of; delineate

(transitive) To provide an acceptable explanation for.

To specify distinctly

(transitive) To be a good, acceptable reason for; warrant.

To give form or meaning to

(transitive) To arrange (text) on a page or a computer screen such that the left and right ends of all lines within paragraphs are aligned.

To make or write a definition.

(transitive) To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin.

To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly.

(reflexive) To give reasons for one’s actions; to make an argument to prove that one is in the right.

(obsolete) To settle, decide an argument etc.

To prove; to ratify; to confirm.

To express the essential nature of something.

(legal) To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a charge or accusation.

To state the meaning of a word, phrase, sign, or symbol.

(legal) To qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property.

To describe, explain, or make definite and clear; used to request the listener or other person to elaborate or explain more clearly his or her intended meaning of a word or expression.

To prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty.

To demark sharply the outlines or limits of an area or concept.

To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to declare or prove to have done that which is just, right, proper, etc.; to absolve; to exonerate; to clear.

(mathematics) To establish the referent of a term or notation.

To treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve.

(programming) A kind of macro in source code that replaces one text string with another wherever it occurs.

To prove; to ratify; to confirm.

To fix the bounds of; to bring to a termination; to end.

To make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to align (text) at the left (left justify) or right (right justify) margins of a column or page, or at both margins; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4.

To determine or clearly exhibit the boundaries of; to mark the limits of; as, to define the extent of a kingdom or country.

To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a charge or accusation.

To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly; as, the defining power of an optical instrument.

To form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly.

To determine the precise signification of; to fix the meaning of; to describe accurately; to explain; to expound or interpret; as, to define a word, a phrase, or a scientific term.

To take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety.

To determine; to decide.

Show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for;

Give a definition for the meaning of a word;

Show to be right by providing justification or proof;

Determine the essential quality of

Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning;

Determine the nature of;

Let off the hook;

Delineate the form or outline of;

Adjust the spaces between words;