DictionarytiltContest or combat
noun / verb

tilt

A contest undertaken against an opponent.

The rivals meet tonight in a tilt for the championship.

Etymology

Tilt acquired a tournament sense for charging at an opponent with a lance. The contest sense broadened from that mounted encounter to other challenges.

More examples

  • Saturday's tilt pits the league's two best teams against each other.
  • The knights tilt with lances in the tournament.
  • She makes another tilt at the title after last year's defeat.

Forms

tilt · tilts · tilted · tilting

Similar words

contest
Contest is more common and covers any organized competition.
bout
Bout usually names a scheduled boxing or wrestling match.
joust
Joust specifically describes mounted combat with lances, not other contests.