De jure

Meaning

The idiom "de jure" refers to something that is legally recognized or established, even if it does not exist in reality or is not fully functional. It can also refer to something that is officially or formally declared as being true or correct, regardless of its actual merit or validity.

Usage

• The government's decision to nationalize the company was de jure, but it struggled financially and eventually went bankrupt.
• Despite not having a proper education, John was able to excel in his job due to his natural talent and skill. However, when he applied for promotion, it was granted only because of his de jure qualifications.
• The company's claims of innovation were de jure, but their products failed to meet customer expectations and were eventually discontinued.
• The new law aimed to protect the environment, but in practice, it has not been very effective and many companies continue to pollute without any consequences.
• Although the new CEO's leadership style was controversial, the company's profits improved significantly during his tenure, which was largely due to his de jure decisions.

Roots and History

The idiom "de jure" comes from Latin and means "in law." It has been used in English since the 16th century and refers to something that is officially recognized or established, even if it does not exist in reality or is not fully functional. In contemporary language, it is commonly used to describe situations where appearances matter more than actual realities.

Synonyms in English

• Formally
• Legally
• Officially
• Lawfully
• According to the rules

Synonyms in other languages

• 法律的 (Fǎfēi de) - Chinese
• 法律的 (Fǎfəi de) - Spanish
• 法律的 (Fǎlǔ de) - French
• 法律的 (Fǎfəi de) - German
• 法律的 (Fǎfəi de) - Italian

Similar Idioms

• dog in the manger

• do justice to

• drop a bombshell