Forms: see TOURNEY sb.1 [ME. a. OF. tornei-er, -ey-er, tornai-er, -ay-er (later tornoi-ier, -oy-er, tournoy-er, etc. = Pr. torneiar, -ejar, torniar, Cat. tornejar, Sp., Pg. tornear, It. torneggiare:—Romanic type *tornizāre, *tornidiāre, f. torno, L. torn-us sb. or torn-āre vb.: see TURN sb. and v. Tornizāre was a secondary formation, with a specific sense, referring to wheeling or evolutions.] intr. To take part in a tourney; to contend or engage in a tournament.
α. 13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 611. Mani a gentil kniȝt Torneande riȝt in þe feld. Ibid., 3774. Þanne seide Beues vnto Terry: ‘Wile we tornaie for þat leuedy?’
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 126. On jousteth wel, an other bet, And otherwhile thei torneie.
c. 1440. Lovelich, Merlin, 7277. Þere eche man torneyed with oþer.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. xi. 228. His custome is … to lye in this medowe to Iuste and torneye.
β. c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 2591. They justyd and turneyd there.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. x. 10. Bid hym bring hiddir his rowtis to turnay.
1567. Drant, Horace, De Arte Poet., B iv. He dare not turney, nor yet tilte which neuer knew the play.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVI. li. 624. He conversed among the legions, and turnoied with them.
γ. 13[?]. K. Alis., 195 (Bodl. MS.). Þer was kniȝttes tourneying [v.r. turnyng].
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. v. 41. Alle knyȝtes that wold Iuste or tourneye.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), D iij. Yf he vse armes, all wil tourney.
1570. Levins, Manip., 197/15. To Tournay, hastis concurrere.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 803/1. So presented themselues … readie to tourneie.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 86. Because he might not Tourney.
1715. trans. Pancirollus’ Rerum Mem., I. IV. xviii. 227. There were … tourneying together with coursing Chariots.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 189. They tourney; in high heaven a din is raised.
b. transf.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 5429. Ilka twelmonth a turne þai [snakes] turnay to-gedire.
