quintain
Americannoun
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an object mounted on a post or attached to a movable crossbar mounted on a post, used as a target in the medieval sport of tilting.
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the sport of tilting at a quintain.
noun
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a post or target set up for tilting exercises for mounted knights or foot soldiers
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the exercise of tilting at such a target
Etymology
Origin of quintain
1400–50; late Middle English quyntain object for tilting at < Middle French quintaine or Medieval Latin quintāna, of obscure origin; the alleged connection with Latin quīntāna “market place in a military camp” is dubious
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Very well. Even my brother couldn't tilt any worse than these others. Master, bring out the quintain, Tommen wants to be a gnat."
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
The quintain spun, the padded mace flying around to give the prince a mighty whack in the back of his head.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
At present the field was only used as a practice-ground for tilting, so a quintain had been erected at one end and a ring at the other.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
"Casterly Rock!" he shouted in a high boyish voice as he put his heels into his pony and started across the hard-packed dirt at the quintain.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
In the second moment he settled down to behave automatically, in the same way as he had always behaved with the quintain and the rings.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
