Dispense justice

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sammy Sam

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2022
Member Type
Native Language
Urdu
Home Country
Pakistan
Current Location
Pakistan
When a court of law, a judge or a jury dispenses justice

Does it means they provide justice?

(or)

Do they exempt people to fulfill a legal obligation?

Here is what Merriam Webster Dictionary says.

dispense justice

To exempt from a law or release from a vow, oath, or impediment : to give dispensation (see DISPENSATION sense 2a) to : EXEMPT

Here is what Collins Dictionary says

Dispense

If someone dispenses something that they own or control, they give or provide it to a number of people.
[formal]

I would appreciate if someone from English speaking country resolves the confusion
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
When a court of law, a judge or a jury dispenses justice

Does it means they provide justice?
Yes, though I'd use 'administer'.
To exempt from a law or release from a vow, oath, or impediment : to give dispensation (see DISPENSATION sense 2a) to : EXEMPT
It is possible to dispense people from something, but not to dispense (in this sense) justice.
I would appreciate it if someone from an English-speaking country resolves the confusion
Please note that we have several members from other countries who give excellent answers here.
 

Barque

Banned
Joined
Nov 3, 2022
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
English
Home Country
India
Current Location
Singapore
Here is what Merriam Webster Dictionary says.

dispense justice

To exempt from a law or release from a vow, oath, or impediment : to give dispensation (see DISPENSATION sense 2a) to : EXEMPT
You've interpreted (and quoted) that wrongly. Please take a look at the Merriam-Webster page again. That's one of the meanings of "dispense", and not the meaning of the term "dispense justice".

"Dispense" can have different meanings depending on context.
When you dispense justice, you provide justice, or administer it, as 5jj says.
When you dispense someone from something, you exempt them from doing something (this is a fairly formal use).
And there are a couple of others.
 
Last edited:

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
When a court of law, a judge or a jury dispenses justice, does it means mean they provide justice question mark here (or) or Do that they exempt people to fulfill a legal obligation?

Here is what Merriam Webster Dictionary says:
dispense justice

To exempt from a law or release from a vow, oath, or impediment : to give dispensation (see DISPENSATION sense 2a) to : EXEMPT

Here is what Collins Dictionary says:
Dispense

If someone dispenses something that they own or control, they give or provide it to a number of people.
[formal]

I would appreciate it if someone from an English-speaking country resolves would/could resolve the confusion.
I don't know what the underlined part means.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top