joust

[ joust, juhst, joost ]
See synonyms for: joustjoustedjoustingjousts on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a combat in which two knights on horseback attempted to unhorse each other with blunted lances.

  2. this type of combat fought in a highly formalized manner as part of a tournament.

  1. jousts, a tournament.

  2. a personal competition or struggle.

verb (used without object)
  1. to contend in a joust or tournament.

  2. to contend, compete, or struggle: The candidates will joust in a television debate.

Origin of joust

1
1250–1300; (v.) Middle English justen, jousten<Old French juster, joster, jouster to tilt in the lists <Vulgar Latin *juxtāre to approach, clash, derivative of Latin juxtā approaching, bordering; (noun) Middle English juste, jouste<Old French juste, etc., derivative of juster

Other words from joust

  • jouster, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use joust in a sentence

  • Knights kissed at jousting tournaments and would receive one from the person they protected as thanks for a year of service.

    The History of Kissing | Sheril Kirshenbaum | February 13, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • You think the political jousting in the Senate Finance Committee is rough?

    The Ugliest Health-Care Debate | Benjamin Sarlin | October 6, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • And so we went driving along again through a wonderful sea of deep blue rollers jousting on a grey ground.

    The Relief of Mafeking | Filson Young
  • The weight of jousting armour was so great that it was impossible for the wearer to mount without assistance.

    Armour &amp; Weapons | Charles John Ffoulkes
  • As far as can be gathered from recent research the passe-guard is a reinforcing piece for the right elbow, used for jousting.

    Armour &amp; Weapons | Charles John Ffoulkes
  • The jousting was very successful; though some were necessarily discomfited, almost every one contrived to obtain some distinction.

    Endymion | Benjamin Disraeli
  • His extensive array of tilting and jousting suits was kept at Greenwich, and an inventory taken of them upon his death.

    Armour in England | J. Starkie Gardner

British Dictionary definitions for joust

joust

/ (dʒaʊst) history /


noun
  1. a combat between two mounted knights tilting against each other with lances. A tournament consisted of a series of such engagements

verb
  1. (intr; often foll by against or with) to encounter or engage in such a tournament: he jousted with five opponents

Origin of joust

1
C13: from Old French jouste, from jouster to fight on horseback, from Vulgar Latin juxtāre (unattested) to come together, from Latin juxtā close

Derived forms of joust

  • jouster, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012