joust
joust — noun
1. a formal medieval sporting fight in which two riders on horses charge toward eac
a formal medieval sporting fight in which two riders on horses charge toward each other with long pointed wooden poles, each trying to push the other off the saddle; usually staged inside a tournament watched by a crowd.
Christopher trained for months before his first joust at the summer tournament in Warwick Castle.
his first joust — countable, possessive determiner
The crowd cheered when Lukas was thrown from his horse during the final joust of the day.
the final joust of the day — definite article with ordinal
Medieval kings often hosted a joust between visiting knights to settle small disputes peacefully.
Two knights in shining armour rode toward each other, beginning the most famous joust in the region's history.
Visitors to the castle museum can watch actors perform a joust every Saturday afternoon in summer.
- tilt
an older, more technical word for the same medieval contest; mostly seen in historical writing
- tournament bout
broader — a tournament includes jousts plus other contests
文法句型
a joust between X and Y
win/lose a joust
用法筆記
Almost always refers to the historical sport or its modern re-enactment at fairs and castles; rarely used for any other type of horseback combat.
常見錯誤
2. a sharp exchange of opposing views between two people, usually in a public or fo
a sharp exchange of opposing views between two people, usually in a public or formal setting such as a debate, interview, or court case, where each side tries to score points against the other through clever words rather than physical force.
The two senators had a sharp joust over tax policy during last night's televised debate.
a joust over [topic] collocation
Manuela enjoyed every verbal joust with her older brother about which novelist deserved the prize.
verbal joust — formal register
The courtroom joust between the prosecutor and the defence lawyer lasted nearly three hours.
Reporters waited eagerly for the weekly joust between the prime minister and the opposition leader in parliament.
- debate
neutral and broader; covers any formal discussion of opposing views
- verbal sparring
more informal; suggests playful or practising tone rather than serious confrontation
- tussle
lighter and more informal; less formal than 'joust'
文法句型
a joust over [topic]
a verbal joust
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense involves words rather than horses and lances. Often paired with 'verbal' or 'rhetorical' to make the metaphor explicit; the setting is typically a debate chamber, courtroom, or interview, not a private quarrel.
常見錯誤
joust — verb
- joustpresent simple I / you / we / they
- jousts3rd person singular
- jousting-ing form
- joustedpast simple
1. to take part in a medieval contest where two riders on horses charge at each oth
to take part in a medieval contest where two riders on horses charge at each other with long wooden poles, each trying to knock the other from the saddle, usually for sport in front of a crowd.
Young knights trained for years before they were allowed to joust with experienced champions.
joust with somebody pattern
Adisa watched the actors joust on horseback during the medieval festival held outside the old city walls.
joust on horseback collocation
Two armoured riders prepared to joust against each other in front of the king and his court.
In medieval England, only knights of noble birth were permitted to joust in royal tournaments.
Aoi loves history books that describe how brave warriors used to joust for the honour of their family name.
- tilt
older and more technical; mostly in historical or literary writing
- spar on horseback
broader; covers any horseback combat practice, not only the lance contest
文法句型
joust with somebody
joust against somebody
用法筆記
Almost always intransitive; the opponent appears with 'with' or 'against', not as a direct object. The subject is normally a person (often a knight, rider, or actor performing a re-enactment); machines and animals do not joust.
常見錯誤
2. to struggle against another person, group, or company in order to gain power, po
to struggle against another person, group, or company in order to gain power, position, attention, or some other advantage, often through clever moves, arguments, or strategy rather than open conflict.
Two technology companies continue to joust for the top spot in the smartphone market.
joust for something — competition collocation
Devika jousted with her colleagues for weeks over who would lead the new research team.
joust with somebody for something
Throughout the campaign, the two candidates jousted over health care, climate, and education.
Emre and Mira jousted politely during the meeting about which design the client should choose.
Newspapers love to describe how rival ministers joust for influence inside the cabinet.
文法句型
joust with somebody (for/over something)
joust for something
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is metaphorical — no horses, just competition through words, strategy, or manoeuvring. Common in journalism about politics, business, and sports rivalries; subjects are usually people or organisations of similar status who can plausibly compete on equal footing.