judge [ME] The word judge, recorded in English since the Middle Ages, looks back to a Latin word based on jus ‘law’ (the source also of just [LME], justice [OE], injury [LME]), and dicere ‘to say’. Judges are often thought of as solemn and impressive figures, and the expression sober as a judge goes back to the 17th century, with sober originally meaning ‘serious, grave’ rather than ‘not drunk’.