adjust

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions

   We must adjust to the bad economic situation.

2. 2
   verb

   to alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard

   We adjusted to fit in.

3. 3
   verb

   to make correspondent or conformable

   I need to adjust the seat.

4. 4
   verb

   to place in a line or arrange so as to be parallel or straight

   I adjusted my pens so that my desk appeared orderly.

5. 5
   verb

   to decide how much is to be paid on an insurance claim

   The agent adjusts eight hours per day.

6. 6
   verb

   To modify.

   Morimoto's recipes are adjusted to suit the American palate.

7. 7
   verb

   To improve or rectify.

   He adjusted his initial conclusion to reflect the new data.

8. 8
   verb

   To change to fit circumstances.

   Most immigrants adjust quickly to a new community.

Etymology

From Middle English ajusten, borrowed from Middle French adjuster, or Old French, from Latin ad (“to, up to, towards”) + iustus (“correct, proper, exact”); Equivalent to ad- + just. Probably influenced in sense by Old French ajouster (cf. modern ajouter), from Vulgar Latin *adiuxtāre, from Latin iuxta. The Middle English originally meant "to correct, remedy" in the late 14th century, and was reborrowed from Middle French in the early 17th century. According to another view on the etymology, the word was actually derived from Old French ajouster and then supposedly later influenced by folk etym…