pass judgment
Definition
Verb: To form and express a critical opinion or evaluation about someone or something. This involves making an assessment, often based on personal standards, evidence, or moral principles.
Usage
The verb "pass judgment" is used when someone is making a formal or informal assessment, typically implying a degree of authority or finality in the opinion expressed. It often carries a connotation of criticism or moral evaluation.
Examples
- The manager had to pass judgment on the employee's performance during the annual review.
- It is not our place to pass judgment on their life choices.
- The court will pass judgment on the defendant next week.
Advanced Usage
- To pass judgment on/upon: This is the standard prepositional structure used with the verb.
- It's easy to pass judgment on a situation you've never experienced.
- The phrase is often used in negative or cautionary contexts, advising against forming hasty or unfair opinions.
- We should avoid passing judgment until we have all the facts.
Variants and Related Words
- Judgment (noun): The ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions; also, an opinion or conclusion.
- She showed good judgment in a crisis.
- Judge (verb): A more common and general synonym for forming an opinion or evaluation.
- You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
Synonyms
- Evaluate: To determine the significance or quality of something through careful appraisal.
- Assess: To estimate the nature, ability, or quality of.
- Critique: To evaluate in a detailed and analytical way.
Related Phrases
- Sit in judgment: To act as a judge, literally or figuratively, often from a position of assumed superiority.
- He had no right to sit in judgment over his colleagues.
- Reserve judgment: To delay forming or expressing an opinion.
- I'll reserve judgment until I've seen the final report.
Verb
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form a critical opinion of
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I cannot judge some works of modern art
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How do you evaluate this grant proposal? We shouldn't pass judgment on other people
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