Adjacent Words

Jury definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

JU'RY, n. [L. juro, to swear.] A number of freeholders, selected in the manner prescribed by law, empaneled and sworn to inquire into and try any matter of fact, and to declare the truth on the evidence given them in the case. Grand juries consist usually of twenty four freeholders at least, and are summoned to try matters alleged in indictments. Petty juries, consisting usually of twelve men, attend courts to try matters of fact in civil causes, and to decide both the law and the fact in criminal prosecutions. The decision of a petty jury is called a verdict.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law
2: a committee appointed to judge a competition [syn: jury, panel]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural juries) Etymology: Middle English jure, from Anglo-French juree, from jurer to swear, from Latin jurare, from jur-, jus Date: 15th century 1. a body of persons sworn to give a verdict on some matter submitted to them; especially a body of persons legally selected and sworn to inquire into any matter of fact and to give their verdict according to the evidence 2. a committee for judging and awarding prizes at a contest or exhibition 3. one (as the public or test results) that will decide — used especially in the phrase the jury is still out II. adjective Etymology: Middle English jory (in jory saile improvised sail) Date: 15th century improvised for temporary use especially in an emergency ; makeshift <a jury mast> <a jury rig> III. transitive verb (juried; jurying) Etymology: ¹jury Date: 1947 to select material as appropriate for exhibition in (as an art show) — used chiefly as a participle <a juried show>

Britannica Concise

In law, a body of individuals selected and sworn to inquire into a question of fact and to render a verdict according to the evidence. Modern juries may deal with questions of law in addition to questions of fact, though federal juries in the U.S. are usually limited to dealing with questions of fact. The modern jury can vary in size depending on the proceeding, but usually has either six or 12 members. By U.S. law, federal grand and petit juries must be "selected at random from a fair cross-section of the community in the district or division wherein the court convenes." State jury selection varies somewhat. The U.S. Supreme Court has stated in a series of decisions that a jury is to be composed of "peers and equals" and that systematic exclusion from a jury of a particular class (e.g., on the basis of sex, race, or ancestry) violates the equal-protection clause and the defendant's right to a jury trial. A defendant is not, however, entitled to a jury of any particular composition. See also voir dire.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. -ies) 1 a body of usu. twelve persons sworn to render a verdict on the basis of evidence submitted to them in a court of justice. 2 a body of persons selected to award prizes in a competition. Phrases and idioms: jury-box the enclosure for the jury in a lawcourt. Etymology: ME f. AF & OF juree oath, inquiry, f. jurata fem. past part. of L jurare swear

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Jury Ju"ry, n.; pl. Juries. [OF. jur['e]e an assize, fr. jurer to swear, L. jurare, jurari; akin to jus, juris, right, law. See Just,a., and cf. Jurat, Abjure.] 1. (Law) A body of men, usually twelve, selected according to law, impaneled and sworn to inquire into and try any matter of fact, and to render their true verdict according to the evidence legally adduced. See Grand jury under Grand, and Inquest. The jury, passing on the prisoner's life. -- Shak. 2. A committee for determining relative merit or awarding prizes at an exhibition or competition; as, the art jury gave him the first prize. Jury of inquest, a coroner's jury. See Inquest.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Jury Ju"ry, a. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.) For temporary use; -- applied to a temporary contrivance. Jury mast, a temporary mast, in place of one that has been carried away, or broken. Jury rudder, a rudder constructed for temporary use.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(juries) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. In a court of law, the jury is the group of people who have been chosen from the general public to listen to the facts about a crime and to decide whether the person accused is guilty or not. The jury convicted Mr Hampson of all offences. ...the tradition of trial by jury. N-COUNT-COLL: also by N 2. A jury is a group of people who choose the winner of a competition. I am not surprised that the Booker Prize jury included it on their shortlist. = panel N-COUNT-COLL 3. If you say that the jury is out or that the jury is still out on a particular subject, you mean that people in general have still not made a decision or formed an opinion about that subject. The jury is out on whether or not this is true... PHRASE: oft PHR on wh/n

Foolish Dictionary

Twelve men chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.