Definition of JUST: adv. 1. Precisely; exactly: just enough salt.
2. Only a moment ago: He just arrived.
3. By a narrow margin; barely: just caught the bus.
4. At a little distance: just down the road.
5. Merely; only: just a scratch.
6. Simply; certainly: It's just beautiful!
7. Perhaps; possibly: I just may go.
We can't just leave that abandoned puppy on the side of the road in the pouring rain means we can't merely leave that abandoned puppy on the side of the road in the pouring rain.
We just can't leave that abandoned puppy on the side of the road in the pouring rain means we certainly can't leave that abandoned puppy on the side of the road in the pouring rain.
Granted, it may seem like a minor difference and either way, we'd end up taking the puppy home.
I had a high school composition teacher who would not let us use the word "just" in any of our assignments. I found out he was right - I tend to put it in there to mean "simply" or "merely." That class got me out of that habit.
ReplyDelete"Just" take a thorazine and let it go.
ReplyDelete*smile* Are you letting it go?
Look, you're not even working right now. Isn't it the least you can do to keep us working blokes entertained???
ReplyDelete