I. ˈjau̇st sometimes ˈjəst or ˈjüst noun
or just ˈjəst
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French joste, juste, jouste, from joster, juster, jouster
1.
a. : a combat on horseback between two knights with lances especially in the lists or an enclosed field ; specifically : an often mock combat of this kind as part of a tournament or display : tilt
b. jousts or justs plural : tournament
2. : an action resembling that of a man or of men jousting especially in being personal combat or competition
young people in their jousts with ideas — William Van Til
the producer's Academy Award-winning joust against anti-Semitism — Newsweek
the ancient ritual of the joust from boats, striving to knock each other into the water — Paul Engle
II. intransitive verb
or just “
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English jousten, justen, from Old French joster, juster, jouster to gather, unite, joust, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin juxtare, from Latin juxta near, nearby; akin to Latin jungere to join — more at yoke
1. : to fight on horseback as a knight or man-at-arms
2.
a. : to engage in combat with lances on horseback : engage in a joust : tilt
two knights jousting in the lists
b. : to participate in an action resembling a joust : engage in personal combat or competition
cars no longer jousting and jostling at the crossings — R.M.Coates
passenger-car manufacturers joust like surly giants over the mighty business of making and selling millions of motorcars — A.W.Baum
• joust·er or just·er -tə(r) noun -s