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 second pronunciation above 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 just 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 und tourneie.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 41. Sende to Iuste ayenst me somme of thy barons. Ibid. (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. Shaks., 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 Englishman 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 treuthe.
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. Ibid. (1608), 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., 5. 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.
