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joint

[ joint ]

/ dʒɔɪnt /

noun

the place at which two things, or separate parts of one thing, are joined or united, either rigidly or in such a way as to permit motion; juncture.

a connection between pieces of wood, metal, or the like, often reinforced with nails, screws, or glue.

Anatomy, Zoology.

the movable or fixed place or part where two bones or elements of a skeleton join.
the form or structure of such a part, as a ball-and-socket, hinge, pivot, etc.

Chiefly British. one of the large portions into which a section of meat is divided by a butcher, as the shoulder or leg, especially as served at a dining table.

Slang.Also called jay² . a marijuana cigarette.

Slang.

a dirty, cheap, or disreputable place of public accommodation or entertainment, especially a restaurant or nightclub.
a place or establishment, as a hotel, restaurant, etc.: We stayed in a very classy joint near the ocean.

Biology.

a part, especially of a plant, insect, etc., connected with another part by an articulation, node, or the like.
a portion between two articulations, nodes, or the like.

Botany. the part of a stem from which a branch or leaf grows; node.

Geology. a fracture plane in rocks, generally at right angles to the bedding of sedimentary rocks and variously oriented in igneous and metamorphic rocks, commonly arranged in two or more sets of parallel intersecting systems.

Mathematics. knot¹ (def. 12).

the joint, Slang. prison: He got out of the joint just before Christmas.

Slang: Vulgar. penis.

adjective

shared by or common to two or more: a joint obligation.

undertaken or produced by two or more in conjunction or in common: a joint reply; a joint effort.

sharing or acting in common: joint members of a committee.

joined or associated, as in relation, interest, or action: joint owners.

Law. joined together in obligation or ownership: joint heirs.

of or relating to both branches of a bicameral legislature.

pertaining to or noting diplomatic action in which two or more governments are formally united.

verb (used with object)

to unite by a joint or joints.

to form or provide with a joint or joints.

to cut (a fowl, piece of meat, etc.) at the joint; divide at a joint; separate into pieces at the joints: to joint a chicken.

Carpentry.

to prepare (a board or the like) for fitting in a joint.
to true the bottom of (a wooden plane body) to allow even movement along the surface of the work.

to file the teeth of (a saw) to uniform height.

Masonry. to finish (a mortar joint), as by striking.

verb (used without object)

to fit together by or as if by joints: The cinder blocks jointed neatly.

QUIZZES

IS YOUR VOCABULARY AS STRONG AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT? TRY THIS QUIZ TO SEE!

It may seem like fun and games but this quiz that uses vocab from popular stories will determine how much you know.

Question 1 of 10

disgruntle

to deprive of ability, qualification, or strength

to put into a state of sulky dissatisfaction

to make repayment or return for (service, benefits, etc.)

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for joint

out of joint,

dislocated, as a bone.
in an unfavorable state; inauspicious: The time is out of joint.
out of keeping; inappropriate: Such behavior seems wholly out of joint with their fine upbringing.

Origin of joint

1250–1300; 1900–05 for def. 6; Middle English <Old French joint, jointe <Latin junctum, juncta, neuter and feminine of junctus (past participle of jungere “to join”), equivalent to jung- join + -tus past participle suffix

SYNONYMS FOR joint

14 united, combined, collaborative.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR joint ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM joint

subjoint, noun

Words nearby joint

joined-up, joiner, joiner door, joinery, join forces, joint, joint account, joint and last survivor annuity, joint bar, joint capsule, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for joint

I went to his joint once, back when I was first hanging out in New York, doing plays.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
On the northern side of the Joint Security Area between North and South Korea, there is a village called Kijong-dong (기정동).
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea|Rich Goldstein|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You get vaccinated in the arm, you shouldn't have inflammation in the joint.
Uh Oh: Ebola Vaccine Trials Stop|Leigh Cowart|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“We are proud of the work we have done for our country,” Mitchell and Jessen have said in a joint statement.
The Luxury Homes That Torture and Your Tax Dollars Built|Michael Daly|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

This past May, NBC News and The Wall Street Journal conducted a joint poll on body art.
Masters of Alt Sex: SuicideGirls Hits Puberty and Wants to Invade Your TV Set|Marlow Stern|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Miss Metford abetted her in this, and went further in their joint revolt against common sense.
The Crack of Doom|Robert Cromie
Ere he reached the spot, a ball hit him on the ankle, and shivered the joint to pieces.
Our Soldiers|W.H.G. Kingston
The farming operations of the whole region are disorganised and out of joint.
Ireland as It Is|Robert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)
They accordingly suffered the punishment, the wrist being divided by a cleaver driven through the joint by force of a mallet.
The Fortunes of Nigel|Sir Walter Scott
He set the skin-blast hypo on top of the joint and let it go.
Highways in Hiding|George Oliver Smith

British Dictionary definitions for joint

joint

/ (dʒɔɪnt) /

noun

a junction of two or more parts or objects

the part or space between two such junctions

anatomy the junction between two or more bones, usually formed of connective tissue and cartilage

the point of connection between movable parts in invertebrates, esp insects and other arthropodsRelated adjective: articular

the part of a plant stem from which a branch or leaf grows

one of the parts into which a carcass of meat is cut by the butcher, esp for roasting

geology a crack in a rock along which no displacement has occurred

slang

a disreputable establishment, such as a bar or nightclub
often facetious a dwelling or meeting place

slang a cannabis cigarette

out of joint

dislocated
out of order or disorganized

put someone's nose out of joint See nose (def. 18)