English
joint
Etymology

The noun is from Middle English joynt (attested since the late 13th century), from Old French joint (attested since the 12th century).

The meaning of "building, establishment", especially in connection with shady activities, appeared in Anglo-Irish by 1821 and entered general American English slang by 1877, especially in the sense of "opium den". The sense "marijuana cigarette" is attested since 1935. The development to meaning "any thing" also happened to the Scots and Memphian form junt and the Mid-Atlantic/Philadelphian form jawn.

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /d͡ʒɔɪnt/
Adjective

joint (not comparable)

  1. Done by two or more people or organisations working together.
    Synonyms: mutual, shared
    The play was a joint production between the two companies.
    • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene ii]:
      A joint burden laid upon us all.
Synonyms Translations Noun

joint (plural joints)

  1. The point where two components of a structure join, but are still able to rotate.
    This rod is free to swing at the joint with the platform.
    Synonyms: hinge, pivot
  2. The point where two components of a structure join rigidly.
    The water is leaking out of the joint between the two pipes.
  3. (anatomy) Any part of the body where two bones join, in most cases allowing that part of the body to be bent or straightened.
  4. The means of securing together the meeting surfaces of components of a structure.
    The dovetail joint, while more difficult to make, is also quite strong.
  5. A cut of meat, especially (but not necessarily) (a) one containing a joint in the sense of an articulation or (b) one rolled up and tied.
    Set the joint in a roasting tin and roast for the calculated cooking time.
  6. The part or space included between two joints, knots, nodes, or articulations.
    a joint of cane or of a grass stem; a joint of the leg
  7. (geology) A fracture in which the strata are not offset; a geologic joint.
  8. (chiefly, US slang, may be somewhat pejorative) A place of business, particularly in the food service or hospitality industries; sometimes extended to any place that is a focus of human connection or activity (e.g., schools, hangouts, party spots).
    Synonyms: jawn#Etymology_2, shebang#English:_place_or_building
    It was the kind of joint you wouldn't want your boss to see you in.
    • 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 255 ↗:
      For a minute I stayed away from real crowded places like Big Ben's and even the new Ruthless spot, but I hung out in a few smaller Harlem joints when I wasn't running and lifting weights and getting ready for training camp.
    1. (slang, dated) A place of resort for tramps.
    2. (slang, US, dated) An opium den.
    3. (slang, with the definite article) Prison, jail, or lockup.
      I'm just trying to stay out of the joint.
  9. (slang) A marijuana cigarette.
    After locking the door and closing the shades, they lit the joint.
    Synonyms: Thesaurus:marijuana cigarette
  10. (slang, dated) A syringe used to inject an illicit drug.
  11. (US, slang) The penis.
    Synonyms: Thesaurus:penis
    • 1957, Jack Kerouac, chapter 1, in On the Road, Viking Press, →OCLC ↗, part 4:
      Inez called up Camille on the phone repeatedly and had long talks with her; they even talked about his joint, or so Dean claimed.
    • 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 17 ↗:
      "Good, then," I said, my joint about to skeet like a water pistol. I was surprised too. I was known for having supreme dick control, and I could usually last a lot longer than this.
  12. (originally an idiolect sense) A thing.
    a Spike Lee joint
    Compare: jawn
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

joint (joints, present participle jointing; simple past and past participle jointed)

  1. (transitive) To unite by a joint or joints; to fit together; to prepare so as to fit together
    to joint boards
    a jointing plane
    • 1697, Virgil, translated by John Dryden, The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC ↗:
      Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood.
  2. (transitive) To join; to connect; to unite; to combine.
    • c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene ii]:
      But soon that war had end, and the time's state
      Made friends of them, jointing their force 'gainst Caesar
  3. (transitive) To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate.
    • 1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […], →OCLC ↗:
      The fingers are […] jointed together for motion.
  4. (transitive) To separate the joints; of; to divide at the joint or joints; to disjoint; to cut up into joints, as meat.
    • 1603, Plutarch, “[The Morals, or Miscellane Works of Plutarch. The Second Tome.] The Seventh Book. Of Symposiaques, or Banquet-Discourses.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC ↗, page 750 ↗:
      Another time alſo being minded to entertain king Priamus friendly, when he came unto his pavilion: / He then beſtir'd himſelfe, and caught up ſoone, / A good white ſheepe, whoſe throat he cut anon. / but about cutting it up, quartering, jointing, ſeething, and roſting, he ſpent a great part of the night: […]
    • 1697, Virgil, translated by John Dryden, The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC ↗:
      He joints the neck.
  5. (intransitive) To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do.
    the stones joint, neatly.
Translations
  • German: fügen, zusammenfügen, verbinden, eine Verbindung herstellen, Holzverbindung herstellen, eine formschlüssige Verbindung herstellen, aneinanderfügen
Translations Translations
  • German: beweglich verbinden, mit einem Gelenk verbinden, gelenkig verbinden, beweglich lagern, lagern
Translations

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