joust

[ joust, juhst, joost ]

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.
3. jousts, a tournament.
4. 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.

joust

/ dʒaʊst /

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

Derived Forms

• ˈjouster, noun

Other Words From

• jouster noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of joust¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of joust¹

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

Example Sentences

These are traits that have for so long been the preserve of Europe in these biennial jousts - both for the women in Solheim and the men in the Ryder Cup.

From BBC

That deal will probably get done after some more jousting.

From BBC

The litigation is one of several high-profile legal jousts in California’s education culture wars over policies that have taken hold mostly in a few deep red, inland or rural areas.

From Los Angeles Times

Medieval English knights donned armor, mounted highly trained horses, and jousted with long lances in spectacular ritual combats.

From Science Magazine

America’s two largest energy companies, Exxon Mobil and Chevron, are jousting over a prized new source of oil in the waters off Guyana, in Latin America.

From New York Times