jury

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Law A body of persons sworn to judge and give a verdict on a given matter, especially a body of persons summoned by law and sworn to hear and hand down a verdict upon a case presented in court.
2. n. A committee, usually of experts, that judges contestants or applicants, as in a competition or exhibition; a panel of judges.
3. v. To judge or evaluate by a jury: jurying submitted samples for a crafts fair.
4. adj. Nautical Intended or designed for temporary use; makeshift: a jury sail.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A certain number of men selected according to law, and sworn to inquire into or to determine facts concerning a cause or an accusation submitted to them, and to declare the truth according to the evidence adduced. Trial by Jury signifies the determination of facts in the administration of civil or criminal justice by the arbitrament of such a body of men, subject to the superintendence of a judge, who directs the proceedings, decides what evidence is proper to be laid before the jury, and determines questions of law. The juries in the ordinary courts of justice are grand juries, petty or petit or common juries, special or struck juries, and sheriff's juries. Of these, the first and last are not trial juries in the proper sense. (See phrases below.) The principle of trial by jury existed in different forms among the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Germans; but it early fell into general disuse. The existing system gradually grew up under the English common law, from which it passed into American use, but has been only partially adopted in modern times by the nations of continental Europe.
2. n. A body of men selected to adjudge prizes, etc., at a public exhibition or other competition. Often called jury of award.
3. n. Same as trial jury.

Wiktionary

1. n. law A group of individuals chosen from the general population to hear and decide a case in a court of law.
2. n. A group of judges in a competition.
3. v. To judge by means of a jury

GNU Webster's 1913

1. adj. (Naut.) For temporary use; -- applied to a temporary contrivance.
2. n. (Law) A body of people, 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. In criminal trials the number of such persons is usually twelve, but in civil cases and in grand juries it may different. See Grand jury under Grand, and Inquest.
3. n. A committee for determining relative merit or awarding prizes at an exhibition or competition.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law
2. n. a committee appointed to judge a competition