just
part of speech
adverb (just); adjective (just — fair)
meaning for a pupil
1) Just means exactly: «just right», «just 2 metres». tree →
2) Just means only: «just 3 dollars», «just one more». tree →
3) Just means a very short time ago: «he has just left». tree →
4) Just means barely: «just in time», «just enough». tree →
5) Just (adjective) means fair and right: «a just king». tree →
6) (casual) «Just» softens or fills: «I just think…», «just saying»; «just kidding» means I was joking. tree →
7) (casual, rough) «Just» makes an order sharper: «just shut up», «just do it», «just split 'em». tree →
8) (formal) «Merely», «precisely», «solely» and «equitable» (fair) are stiff words for just. tree →
sense in the lessons
In school maths: a small word that marks «only» or «exactly», or a change that has just happened; «just enough» means nothing left over. In everyday life: «just a minute», «just kidding», «I was just going to...». In stories: a just ruler is fair to everyone. In casual talk: «just saying», «jk» (just kidding). In the exam voice: «precisely 2 metres», «a mere 3 dollars», «an equitable distribution». Phrases: «just in time», «just enough», «just now», «just about», «just like», «just in case».
examples
- She has just 3 dollars left. tree →
- He just bought 5 pens. tree →
- There is just enough cake for 8 children. tree →
- It is just 2 metres long. tree →
- We got to the station just in time. tree →
- The porridge was just right. tree →
- Wait just a minute, please. tree →
- The judge was wise and just. tree →
- just kidding, i've got 4 not 2 lol (casual) tree →
- Sod it, just split 'em, 3 each. (rough) tree →
- Just do your homework and stop moaning. (rough) tree →
- The cake is divided equitably among 8 children such that precisely no portion remains; determine the original number of slices given 3 per child. (formal exam) tree →
- The girls arrived just in time. tree →
note
«Just» goes before the main verb: «I have just finished». «Justice» is the noun of the fair sense. Maths: «just enough» means no leftover (exact division). «Just» = «only» does not change the number. Trap: do not read «just» as a sign to add or subtract. Trap: «just kidding» means the number before it was not real — use the corrected one. Formal «merely» = just (only); «precisely» = just (exactly); «equitable» = just (fair).
In the corpora
- Payday is the day pay arrives in the bank, often once a month, so money is usually lowest just before it.
- Some families pay children for extra jobs, like washing the car, but tidying your own room is just part of living together.
- Date night is when a couple goes out together, just the two of them, which keeps their friendship strong.
- A honeymoon is a holiday a couple takes just after the wedding, to rest and celebrate, just the two of them.
- Feeling jealous of a new baby is very common, and parents still love the older child just as much.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «just» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.