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DO JUSTICE
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I. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Show due and full appreciation
Example:
The diners did the food and wine justice
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Hypernyms (to "do justice" is one way to...):
appreciate; prize; treasure; value (hold dear)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s to somebody
Sense 2
Meaning:
Bring out fully or to advantage
Example:
This photograph does not do her justice
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Hypernyms (to "do justice" is one way to...):
show (make visible or noticeable)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s to somebody
Context examples:
I cannot do justice to his kindness.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
He was too diffident to do justice to himself; but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
My only concern is, that I shall hardly be able to do justice to my master’s arguments and expressions, which must needs suffer by my want of capacity, as well as by a translation into our barbarous English.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
To compose a letter which might at once do justice to her sentiments and her situation, convey gratitude without servile regret, be guarded without coldness, and honest without resentment—a letter which Eleanor might not be pained by the perusal of—and, above all, which she might not blush herself, if Henry should chance to see, was an undertaking to frighten away all her powers of performance; and, after long thought and much perplexity, to be very brief was all that she could determine on with any confidence of safety.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
She is of a temper to do a great deal for anybody she really interests herself about, and she will force you to do justice to your natural powers.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
She could do justice to the superiority of Lady Russell's motives in this, over those of her father and Elizabeth; she could honour all the better feelings of her calmness; but the general air of oblivion among them was highly important from whatever it sprung; and in the event of Admiral Croft's really taking Kellynch Hall, she rejoiced anew over the conviction which had always been most grateful to her, of the past being known to those three only among her connexions, by whom no syllable, she believed, would ever be whispered, and in the trust that among his, the brother only with whom he had been residing, had received any information of their short-lived engagement.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
As for your Elizabeth's picture, you must not have it taken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
And, Fanny, though I hope I do justice to my sisters' good qualities, I think it very possible that they might, one or both, be more desirous of being admired by Crawford, and might shew that desire rather more unguardedly than was perfectly prudent.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
My dear Sir Thomas, I perfectly comprehend you, and do justice to the generosity and delicacy of your notions, which indeed are quite of a piece with your general conduct; and I entirely agree with you in the main as to the propriety of doing everything one could by way of providing for a child one had in a manner taken into one's own hands; and I am sure I should be the last person in the world to withhold my mite upon such an occasion.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
He was aware that he must not expect a genius in Mr. Rushworth; but as a well-judging, steady young man, with better notions than his elocution would do justice to, he intended to value him very highly.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
