jostle

jos·tle

verb

The definition of jostle is to push and shove your way through a space or through a crowd, or to compete for something or to fight for position.

When you push and elbow your way through a crowd, this is an example of a time when you jostle your way through the crowd.
When you compete for a position at work, this is an example of a time when you jostle for position.

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"jostle." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/JOSTLE>.

APA Style

jostle. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/JOSTLE

jostle

transitive verb

intransitive verb

-·tled, -·tling

to bump or push, as in a crowd; elbow or shove roughly
to push (one's way) by shoving or bumping
to come or bring into close contact
to contend (with someone for something)

Origin of jostle

earlier justle, frequentative from Middle English justen: see joust

the act of jostling; rough bump or shove

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MLA Style

"jostle." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/JOSTLE>.

APA Style

jostle. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/JOSTLE

jostle

verb

jos·tled, jos·tling, jos·tles

verb

intransitive

To come in rough contact while moving; push and shove: jostled against the others on the crowded platform.
To make one's way by pushing or elbowing: jostled through the guests to the bar.
To vie for an advantage or position: jostled with several others for the job.

verb

transitive

To come into rough contact with while moving: messengers who jostle pedestrians on the sidewalk.
To force by pushing or elbowing: jostled my way through the mob.
To vie with for an advantage or position: jostled a major shareholder for control of the business.
To shake or agitate: jostled the bag of food, and the dog came running.

noun

A rough shove or agitating movement.

Origin of jostle

Middle English justilen to have sexual relations with frequentative of justen to joust from Old French juster ; see joust .

Related Forms:

jos′tler
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"jostle." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/JOSTLE>.

APA Style

jostle. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/JOSTLE

Verb

(third-person singular simple present jostles, present participle jostling, simple past and past participle jostled)

(intransitive) To bump into or brush against while in motion; to push aside.
(intransitive) To move through by pushing and shoving.
To be close to or in physical contact with.
(intransitive) To contend or vie in order to acquire something.
(dated, slang) To pick or attempt to pick pockets.

Noun

(plural jostles)

An experience in which jostling occurs.
Being crowded or in a condition of jostling.

Origin

Originally justle (“to have sex with”), formed from jousten + -tle; from the Old French joster (“to joust”), from Latin iuxtā (“next to”), from iungō (“join, connect”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.