jujitsu
/ˌd͡ʒuːˈd͡ʒɪtsuː/ noun, verb
Forms jujitsus jujitsu's jujitsuing jujitsu-ing jujitsued jujitsu-ed jiu-jitsu jiujitsu ju-jitsu ju-jutsu jujutsu
- noun A Japanese martial art and method of self-defence, typically unarmed, emphasizing manipulating an opponent’s force against themselves rather than directly opposing it with force, and using a wide variety of holds, throws, and defensive techniques.
- noun Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a related art, derived from judo.
- noun (figuratively) Strategic maneuvering, especially with the aim of using the strength of one's opponent against them in an unexpected or counterintuitive way.
- verb (ambitransitive, figuratively) To attack (someone) or overcome (a challenge) with strategic maneuvering.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 柔術 (jūjutsu). Popular spelling jitsu (instead of less popular jiutsu or jutsu) could reference to allophonic [d͡ʑɨ] or [d͡ʑi] (in Shitamachi dialect). First mentioned in The Japan Mail (1875, page 133), before the widespread use of the Hepburn system.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The Japanese art of self-defense without weapons, now widely used as a system of physical training. It depends for its efficiency largely upon the principle of making use of an opponent's strength and weight to disable or injure him, and by applying pressure so that his opposing movement will throw him out of balance, dislocate or break a joint, etc. It opposes knowledge and skill to brute strength, and demands an extensive practical knowledge of human anatomy.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “jujitsu”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details