DEFINITIONS

jujitsu

or jiu·jit·su

[ joo-jit-soo ]
/ dʒuˈdʒɪt su /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR jujitsu ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a method developed in Japan of defending oneself without the use of weapons by using the strength and weight of an adversary to disable him.
the use of an opponent's strengths or one's own weaknesses to accomplish one's goals: That was a kind of intellectual jujitsu, the way she handily won the debate. The town of Vacaville, in a prime example of touristic jujitsu, turned its isolation into an attraction in itself.

verb (used with object)

to turn (a situation) to one's advantage by exploiting one's own weaknesses or another's strengths, as in a social or political relationship: He deftly jujitsued the conversation to make my knowledge of the subject seem pretentious.

Content related to jujitsu

Which Words Did English Take From Other Languages?English—is one of the most incredible, flavorfully-complex melting pots of linguistic ingredients from other countries. These linguistic ingredients are called loanwords that have been borrowed and incorporated into English. The loanwords are oftentimes so common now, the foreign flavor has been completely lost.
READ MORE

Words related to jujitsu

karate, wrestling, judo, aikido, kendo

Words nearby jujitsu

juiced, juicehead, juicer, juicy, juiz de fora, jujitsu, juju, jujube, jujuy, juke, juke house
Also ju·jut·su, jiu·jut·su [joo-juht-soo, -joo-] /dʒuˈdʒʌt su, -ˈdʒʊ-/.
Compare judo, karate.

Origin of jujitsu

1870–75; < Japanese jūjitsu, earlier jūjutsu, equivalent to jū soft (see judo) + -jut(u) technique < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese shù
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for jujitsu

  • The attack on the World Trade Center's towers (and on the Pentagon, that breathtaking parenthesis) was a brilliant act of jujitsu.

    Osama bin Laden: Why He Won|E.J. Graff|May 15, 2011|DAILY BEAST

  • He grabbed the extended right arm to give it a jujitsu move up and to the back of the body.

    David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney

  • He reached forward in a jujitsu maneuver, grabbed a coat sleeve and a handful of suit coat.

    Black Man's Burden|Dallas McCord Reynolds

  • The boys are also taught asanas (postures), sword and lathi (stick) play, and jujitsu.

    Autobiography of a YOGI|Paramhansa Yogananda

British Dictionary definitions for jujitsu

jujitsu

jujutsu or jiujutsu

/ (dʒuːˈdʒɪtsuː) /

noun

the traditional Japanese system of unarmed self-defence perfected by the samuraiSee also judo

Word Origin for jujitsu

C19: from Japanese, from jū gentleness + jutsu art
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