lance

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“
The third bout with the lance was as good or even better than the others, for the lance was more completely shivered into fragments When these two knights had finished, next came the lord of Bellabre, and against him a Scotch man-at-arms, named the Captain David of Fougas, and these likewise did with their three jousts of the lance all that it was possible for gentlemen to do.

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Definitions (37)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun A thrusting weapon with a long wooden shaft and a sharp metal head.
  2. noun A similar implement for spearing fish.
  3. noun A cavalry lancer.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (23)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (6)

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Examples (50)

  • Jamie stood as straight as a lance, her hands at her sides, waiting to hear the wonderful speech Alec would give his men. —  Garwood, Julie - The Bride
  • Her back was as straight as a lance, her expression devoid of all emotion as she stared off into space. —  Garwood, Julie - The Prize
  • The third bout with the lance was as good or even better than the others, for the lance was more completely shivered into fragments. —  Bayard: The Good Knight Without Fear And Without Reproach
  • Her back was as straight as a lance, and when she directed her mount over the hedge that separated the wilderness from the immediate grounds, Lyon started breathing again. —  Garwood, Julie - Lion's Lady
  • A knight, a horse, armor, and barding at a dead gallop all concentrated on the steel tip of a lance was a formidable force. —  THE BLOOD KNIGHT
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This word has been looked up 116 times.

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Etymologies (4)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French, from Latin lancea, probably of Celtic origin.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. Early modern English also launce; from Middle English launce (=D. lans = German lanze = Danish landse = Swedish lans), from Old French lance, French lance = Provencal lansa = Spanish lanza = Portuguese lança = Italian lancia, from Latin lancea, apparently = Greek λόγχη, a light spear. The L. word was said to be of Spanish (Hispanic) origin.
  2. Early modern English also launce; from Middle English lancen, lansen, launcen (also launchen: see launch), from Old French lancier, lanchier, pierce with a lance, pierce, fight with a lance, throw, hurl, plunge, press, etc., French lancer, throw, hurl, launch, from lance, a lance: see lance, n.
  3. Also written launce; = Old Italian lance, from Latin lanx (accusative lanc-), a plate, platter, scale of a balance: see balance. Cf. auncel.
 

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/læns/
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