sb. Forms: α. 3 tornei-, 3–5 torne-, 4–7 tornea-, 5–7 tornament. β. 3–5 turne-, 4–8 turna-, 5–6 turnei-, turney-, 7 turneament. γ. (5 tournoy-), 5–7 tourne-, 7 tournea-, 6– tournament. (Also 4–6 -mente, pl. 3–5 -mens.) [a. OF. torneiement (Enéas, c. 1150), torney-, tornee-, torniement; central and later OF. tornoie-, tornoiment, tournoie-, tournoyement; also turnoie-, turneie-, turneement, f. tourneier, -oier, etc., TOURNEY v.: see -MENT. Cf. Pr. torneiament, It. tornia-, † torneamento; the later Eng. spellings tornea-, tourna- were app. due to the influence of med.L.
Cf. med.L. torneamentum (fr. Fr.), 1157 in Reims Synod, Canon iv. and 1179 in Lateran Council, Can. xx ‘detestabiles illas nundinas vel ferias, quas vulgo torneamenta vocant.’]
1. Originally, A martial sport or exercise of the middle ages, in which a number of combatants, mounted and in armor, and divided into two parties, fought with blunted weapons and under certain restrictions, for the prize of valor; later, A meeting at an appointed time and place for knightly sports and exercises.
According to Roger of Hoveden III. 268, first introduced into England by Richard I.
α. 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2896. In ioustes & in tornemens. Ibid., 11041. Sir edward … hauntede torneimens [v.r. (C.) turnemens] with wel noble route.
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 3766. Þai ben come for a tornement Þat is cride for a maide faire.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 497/1. Torneament, torneamentum.
1612. Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., iv. 70. Torneaments and jousts were their exercises.
β. a. 1225. Ancr. R., 390. He dude him ine turnement, & hefde uor his leofmonnes luue, his schelde ine uihte.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 821. He schal bring to þe turment [v.r. turnement] þat day (Wele is him þat it winne may) A gerfauk þat is milke white. Ibid., 829. Who so winneþ þe turnament al Bi aiþer half, þe priis have schal.
c. 1450. Merlin, ix. 133. After they be-gonne a turnemente, and departed hem in two partyes.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. v. 1. That doughtie turnament. Ibid. (1596), IV. iv. 12. Against the Turneiment. Ibid., 13. Unto the place of Turneyment.
a. 1700. Dryden, Theodore & Hon., 18. He … At tilts and turnaments obtained the prize, But found no favour in his lady’s eyes.
γ. 1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. v. 41. Vpon newe yeersday the barons lete maake a Iustes and a tournement.
c. 1483. Caxton, Dialogues, 25/1. For suche ladies Ben the tournemens. Ibid. (1485), Paris & V., 11. Ioustes and tournoyment doon in his cyte of vyenne.
1552. Huloet, Tournamente or iuste.
1656. Blount, Glossogr. (1674), Tournement, or Tourneament.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), IV. 291. A cuirass used by the elector Augustus in tournaments.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., III. i. 103. Every kind of military combat made in conformity to certain rules … was anciently called a tournament.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages, ix. II. (1819), III. 502. Tournaments … may be considered to have arisen about the middle of the eleventh century; for … the name of tournaments, and the laws that regulated them, cannot be traced any higher.
1841. G. P. R. James, Brigand, i. Henry the Second [of France] … closed his career in the last tournament [1559] which Europe was destined to witness.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIII. 489/1. Tournaments and jousts differed from one another principally in the circumstance that in the first several combatants on each side were engaged…, and in the second the contention was between two combatants only.
b. A modern imitation of the mediæval pastime.
1701. Lond. Gaz., No. 3734/2. The Imperial Court continues at the Palace at Favorita, where they were entertained yesterday with a Turnament.
1839. Ld. Cockburn, Jrnl. (1874), I. 239. In August last the display called the Tournament took place at Eglinton Castle.
c. Applied to the Olympic and other ancient games or contests.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 11. After þe strif, ioustes, and turnementis of Olympy. Ibid., II. 381. Theseus … slowȝ Minotaurus in þe tornemente [in agone interemit].
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 703. Severus … His body was … committed to the flames, honoured with Justs and Turneaments of his souldiers and his owne sonnes.
1866. Felton, Anc. & Mod. Gr., II. v. 358. They … utterly disappeared from the face of Hellas, with their language, their manners, their jousts and tournaments.
2. fig. An encounter or trial of strength.
1638. Bp. Reynolds, Peace Ch., 31. Happy … the Church of God, when curious novelties, and as it were Tourneaments in sacred things are esteemed prophane.
1659. Gentl. Calling (1696), 118. They keep, as it were, solemn Justs and Turnaments of Debauchery.
1901. Empire Rev., I. 370. When this dogmatic tournament has spent its force.
1902. R. Bagot, Donna Diana, xx. In the rose-gardens below, the nightingales were holding a tournament of song.
3. transf. A contest in any game of skill in which a number of competitors play a series of selective games, e.g., a chess or lawn tennis tournament.
Military or naval tournament, an athletic meeting at which there are a large proportion of contests especially adapted for soldiers or sailors.
1761. Ann. Reg., 152. A naval tournament, or race upon the waters, resembling those practised at Venice in the carnival season.
1852. H. Staunton (title), The Chess Tournament. A collection of the games played at this celebrated assemblage.
1869. in J. D. Heath, Croquet-Player (1874), 95. N.C.C. Open tournament at Highgate (6 inch hoops).
1872. R. C. A. Prior, Croquet, 55. The Gardener’s Chronicle announced last year a ‘Potato Tournament.’
1885. Sat. Rev., 24 Jan., 113. If … the old Counties Chess Association … holds its tournaments in the provinces.
1888. Daily News, 15 Sept. 3/5. Lawn Tennis. The Essex Open Tournament was resumed yesterday at the Connaught Grounds.
4. attrib.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, lii. It had been a Cistercian Convent in old days, when the Smithfield, which is contiguous to it, was a tournament ground.
1902. Munsey’s Mag., XXVI. 476/2. When the skater has become proficient in all of them, he is ready to proceed to the simpler combinations of the tournament figures.
Hence Tournament v. (nonce-wd.), intr. to ride as in a tournament, to tilt; Tournamental a., of or pertaining to a tournament; † Tournamenteer, Obs. rare, a combatant at tournaments.
1872. Progress-Index (Petersburg, VA), 18 July, 5/2. Two small boys *tournamented on Bollingbrook street yesterday, and tried their best to beat one another after the manner of men.
1884. J. Sharman, Hist. Swearing, i. 10. They bestrode chairs and benches,… and tournamented about the room.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., III. i. 127. When the grand *tournamental conflict was finished.
1896. Daily News, 28 May, 3/1. The rumour … that there was tournamental antagonism between the Navy and Army.
1737. Ozell, Rabelais, II. 221. Great Tilters and *Turnamenteers.
