▪ I. joust, just, n.
(dʒaʊst, formerly dʒuːst, dʒʌst)
Forms: 3–4 ioust, 7– joust; 4–7 iust, 7– just, (6–9 giust).
[a. OF. juste, joste, jouste, F. joute, f. juster, etc. joust v. For the spelling and pronunciation, see joust, just, v.]
1. A combat in which two knights or men-at-arms on horseback encountered each other with lances; spec. a combat of this kind for exercise or sport; a tilt. Usually in pl. jousts, justs, a series of such encounters, as a spectacular display; a tournament.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2898 Vor þer nas so god kniȝt non..Þat in ioustes ssolde sitte þe dunt of is lance. c 1320 Sir Beues (A.) 3785 And to þe iustes þai gonne ride. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 10 Whanne lordis ben fro hom in werris, in iustis. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xxi. 62, I was a yonge knyght and hauntyd the iustes and tornoys. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 1 For knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, v. ii. 52 What newes from Oxford? Hold those Iusts and Triumphs? 1635 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 192 Right joyfull..to light on by the way so solemne jousts. 1645 Evelyn Diary 2 May, There had been in the morning a Just and Tournament of severall young gentlemen. 1709 Strype Ann. Ref. I. xv. 191 Great justs were made: the French King himself justing. 1755 Johnson, Just, mock encounter on horseback; tilt; tournament. Joust is more proper. 1776 Mickle tr. Camoens' Lusiad 330 At just and tournay with the tilted lance. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iii. i. 113 The just was a separate trial of skill, when only one man was opposed to another. 1808 Scott Marm. i. xiv, Seldom hath pass'd a week but giust Or feat of arms befel. 1830 James Darnley xxi. 93 Just after just, tourney after tourney. 1838 Prescott Ferd. & Is. (1846) III. xi. 44 The knights..defied one another to jousts and tourneys. 1859 Tennyson Enid 537 Down to the meadow where the jousts were held. |
| fig. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. iii. Colonies 553 Less powrfull in the Paphian Ioust For Propagation. 1846 H. Rogers Ess. I. iv. 203 He entered the lists in those intellectual jousts, as they may be called. |
† b. pl. as sing. A tournament. Obs.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 50 Coming fro..Ierico To a iustes in iherusalem. a 1512 Fabyan Chron. vii. 687 Chief chalengeour, at a royall iustyce and turney. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 303 The king did holde a royall Iustes in Smithfielde in London. 1593 Peele Order Garter 44 As if the God of war Had held a justs in honour of his love. 1641–74 Baker Chron. an. 1400, They would publish a solemn Justs to be holden at Oxford. |
† 2. Applied to the ancient Grecian games. Obs.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 37 Olympades, þat beeþ þe tymes of here iustis and tornementis. 1388 Wyclif 2 Macc. iv. 18 Whanne iustus, doon oonys in fyue ȝeer, was maad solempli in Tire. |
▪ II. joust, just, v.
(dʒaʊst, formerly dʒuːst, dʒʌst)
Forms: 3–7 iust(e, 4–7 ioust(e, (5 youst, yust, iowst, iost, 6 iuyst), 7– just, joust.
[a. OF. juste-r (11th c.), joster (12th c.), jouster (13th c.) = Pr. justar, jostar, Sp., Pg. justar, It. giostrare:—late pop.L. juxtāre to approach, come together, meet, f. juxtā near together. The sense ‘approach, join’, remained in OF.
The historical Eng. spelling from the 13th c. is just: cf. the cognate adjust:—L. adjuxtāre. Under later French influence, joust was used sometimes by Gower, Caxton, Spenser, and Milton, was preferred by Johnson, and used by Scott, and is now more frequent; but the pronunciation remained as in the historical spelling; the pronunciation (dʒaʊst) (formerly dʒuːst) is recent, and suggested by the spelling joust.]
† 1. (?) To join, to ally oneself. Obs. rare.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1589 Esau wifuede us to dere Quan he iusted & beð so mat, Toc of kin ðe canaan bi-gat. |
† 2. intr. To join battle, encounter, engage; esp. to fight on horseback as a knight or man-at-arms.
| c 1300 Cursor M. 21910 (Edinb.) Mikil leuer war him to here Hu roland iuste [Gött. iusted], and oliuere. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 4379 Knyghte iustede, archers drowe On boþe parties fol manie þey slowe. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 105, I wil kuþe on hem my miȝt and dyngen hem al to douste Wheþer þay wille on fote fiȝt ouþer on horse iouste. c 1440 Bone Flor. 459 Fyfty of them issewed owte, For to juste in werre. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 583 And all who since, Baptiz'd or Infidel Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban. |
3. spec. To engage in a joust or tournament; to run at tilt with lances on horseback.
| 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 872 Oȝaines sir Gij þer com Gayer, To iuste wiþ him he drouȝ him ner. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1628 Al that Monday Iusten they and daunce. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 63 To se..The lusti folk iouste and tourneie. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 41 Sende to Iuste ayenst me somme of thy barons. c 1489 ― Sonnes of Aymon i. 32 They Iousted moche worthyly but Reynawde iousted beste vpon his horse bayarde. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 85 The kyng..in his owne person Iusted to all comers. 1608 Shakes. Per. ii. i. 116 There are Princes and Knights come from all partes of the world to Iust and Turney for her loue. 1755 Johnson, To joust and to just. 1773–83 Hoole Orl. Fur. xxvi. 524 Every chief..He call'd to joust, and dar'd them to the field. 1805 Wordsw. Prelude ix. 455 Methought I saw a pair of knights Joust underneath the trees. 1825 Macaulay Ess., Milton (1851) I. 15 Knights, who vowed to joust without helmet or shield. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. II. viii. 261 Not justing with his lance as in a mimic tourney. |
b. With adverbial accusative.
| a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Essex (1662) 330 An English⁓man challenged any of the French, to just a course or two on horse-back with him. |
4. In various fig. applications. (In quot. 1639, To copulate.)
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 133 He iugged til a iustice and iusted in his ere, And ouertilte al his treathe. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 58 Lyik tua gait buckis iustand contrar vthirs. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. i. 515 Auster and Boreas justing furiously Under hot Cancer. 1608 Ibid. ii. iv. iv. Schisme 941 So fare these miners; whom I pittie must That their bright valour should so darkly joust. 1639 T. de Grey Compl. Horsem. 51 His justing, howsoever without fruit,..is but once only in the whole course of his life. 1824 Byron Def. Transf. i. ii, The lion and his tusky rebels..brought to joust In the arena. |
▪ III. joust
obs. form of just n.2, a pot.