JURY

jury

(noun) a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law

jury, panel

(noun) a committee appointed to judge a competition

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Noun

jury (plural juries)

(law) A group of individuals chosen from the general population to hear and decide a case in a court of law.

• "And so the jury and he approached, as if this were a time of peace instead of one of the greatest world disturbances ever known in history, the question whether the prosecution had proved to the jury’s satisfaction that George Joseph Smith was guilty of murder. The jury were the shield which stood between him and death, unless, to the jury’s satisfaction, he was proved to be guilty. Yet while they were the shield of the man accused, they were also the Sword of the State; and if the man were proved guilty, they were the servants of the State to punish him. Their respective functions were these: he the judge, had to settle the law, and the jury must take the law from him. The jury were judges of fact."

(theater, slang) The audience attending the first night of a performance, whose reaction may determine whether it succeeds or fails.

Meronyms

• juror

Verb

jury (third-person singular simple present juries, present participle jurying, simple past and past participle juried)

To judge by means of a jury.

Etymology 2

Adjective

jury (not comparable)

(nautical) For temporary use; applied to a temporary contrivance.

Source: Wiktionary

Ju"ry, a. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.)

Definition: 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.

Ju"ry, n.; pl. Juries. Etym: [OF. jurée an assize, fr. jurer to swear, L. jurare, jurari; akin to jus, juris, right, law. See Just,a., and cf. Jurat, Abjure.]

1. (Law)

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition