joust

pronunciation

How to pronounce joust in British English: UK [dʒaʊst] word uk audio image

How to pronounce joust in American English: US [dʒaʊst] word us audio image

Noun:

a combat between two mounted knights tilting against each other with blunted lances
Verb:

joust against somebody in a tournament by fighting on horseback

Word Origin

joust: joust: [13] The underlying meaning of joust is simply an ‘encounter’. The word came from Old French juster, which originally meant ‘bring together’, and hence by extension ‘join battle’ and ‘fight on horse-back’. The Old French verb goes back to Vulgar Latin *juxtāre ‘come together’, a derivative of Latin juxtā ‘close’ (source of English juxtaposition [17]). And juxtā itself comes from the same ultimate source as English join and yoke. Jostle [14] originated as a derivative of joust.=> join, jostle, juxtapose

joust (v.): c. 1300, "fight with a spear or lance on horseback with another knight; tilt in a tournament," from Old French joster "to joust, tilt," from Vulgar Latin *iuxtare "to approach, come together, meet," originally "be next to," from Latin iuxta "beside, near," related to iungere "join together" (see jugular). Formerly spelled, and until modern times pronounced, "just." Related: Jousted; jousting.

joust (n.): c. 1300, from Old French joustes, from joster (see joust (v.)). The sport was popular with Anglo-Norman knights. These early tournaments were very rough affairs, in every sense, quite unlike the chivalrous contests of later days; the rival parties fought in groups, and it was considered not only fair but commendable to hold off until you saw some of your adversaries getting tired and then to join in the attack on them; the object was not to break a lance in the most approved style, but frankly to disable as many opponents as possible for the sake of obtaining their horses, arms, and ransoms. [L.F. Salzman, "English Life in the Middle Ages," Oxford, 1950]