joust

[ joust, juhst, joost ]

See synonyms for: joust jousted jousting jousts on Thesaurus.com

noun

a combat in which two knights on horseback attempted to unhorse each other with blunted lances.
this type of combat fought in a highly formalized manner as part of a tournament.

jousts, a tournament.
a personal competition or struggle.

verb (used without object)

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

Origin of joust

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

Also just.

Other words from joust

jouster, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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 & 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 & 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

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

verb

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

Origin of joust

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

Browse