"Judgment," n.

  1. a. The action of trying a cause in a court of justice; trial. (Now rare or merged in 3.) Also applied to trial by battle (quot. 1377: see BATTLE n. 2) or ordeal (Judgement of God).
1297 R. GLOUC. (Rolls) 1236 To bringe is neueu mid streng{th}e to stonde to Iugement. 1377 LANGL. P. Pl. B. XVI. 95 {Th}anne shulde Ihesus iuste {th}ere-fore bi iuggement of armes, Whether shulde [fonge] {th}e fruit, {th}e fende or hymselue. 1390 GOWER Conf. III. 340 Unto the town this he besoghte, To don him riht in juggement. c1470 HENRY Wallace II. 248 To..bryng him wp out of that vgly sell To iugisment. a1548 HALL Chron., Edw. V 6b, They all foure were beheaded without iudgement. 1596 SHAKES. Merch. V. IV. i. 223 A Daniel come to iudgement, yea a Daniel.

 

    3. a. The sentence of a court of justice; a judicial decision or order in court.
c1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 98/205 Is {th}is a guod Ivggement? a1300 Cursor M. 6776 (Cott.) {Th}ou sal it quit wit iuiement [v.r. iuggement]. c1450 Cov. Myst. xxv. 249 A wondyr case..On wiche we must gyf iewgement. a1548 HALL Chron., Hen. VIII 244b, He confessed the Inditement, and so had Iudgement to bee hanged. 1560 BIBLE (Genev.) 1 Kings iii. 28 All Israel heard ye iudgement, which the King had iudged.

 

   5. a. Any formal or authoritative decision, as of an umpire or arbiter. (Now rare.)
c1330 R. BRUNNE Chron. (1810) 303 To whils {th}at oure trewe duellis on jugement. c1386 CHAUCER Prol. 833 Who so be rebel to my Iuggement Shal paye for al {th}at by the wey is spent. c1450 Guy Warw. (C.) 672 And all {th}ey seyde wyth oon assente: We graunt wele to yowre yugement. 1560 J. DAUS tr. Sleidane's Comm. 14, I will confourme my wyll vnto your iudgemente. 1602 SHAKES. Ham. V. ii. 291.

 

   6. The pronouncing of a deliberate opinion upon a person or thing, or the opinion pronounced; criticism; censure.
a1225 Ancr. R. 118 {Th}eo hwule {th}et te heorte walle{edh} wi{edh}innen of ure{edh}{edh}e, nis {th}er no riht dom, ne no riht gugement. 1340-70 Alex. & Dind. 462 {Th}ere nis no iargoun no iangle ne iuggeme[n]tis falce. c1477 CAXTON Jason 14 After the Iugement of the men ye are the very myrrour of al vertues. 1560 J. DAUS tr. Sleidane's Comm. Ded. Aijb, The place and dignity, to the which (by the iudgement of al men) you are most worthely called.

 

    7. a. The formation of an opinion or notion concerning something by exercising the mind upon it; an opinion, estimate.
c1380 WYCLIF Sel. Wks. III. 345 Wher men of worse liif mai sunner erre in {th}er jugement. 1390 GOWER Conf. III. 45 Ek also Aeremance in juggement To love he bringth of his assent. 1559 W. CUNINGHAM Cosmogr. Glasse 86 This waye in my iudgement doeth excell all the rest. 1594 SHAKES. Rich. III, III. iv. 45 To morrow, in my iudgement, is too sudden.