Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Joint?

\Joint\ (joint), n. [F. joint, fr. joindre, p. p. joint. See {Join}.] 1. The place or part where two things or parts are joined or united; the union of two or more smooth or even surfaces admitting of a close-fitting or junction; junction as, a joint between two pieces of timber; a joint in a pipe. 2. A joining of two things or parts so as to admit of motion; an articulation, whether movable or not; a hinge; as, the knee joint; a node or joint of a stem; a ball and socket joint. See {Articulation}. A scaly gauntlet now, with joints of steel, Must glove this hand. --Shak. To tear thee joint by joint. --Milton. 3. The part or space included between two joints, knots, nodes, or articulations; as, a joint of cane or of a grass stem; a joint of the leg. 4. Any one of the large pieces of meat, as cut into portions by the butcher for roasting. 5. (Geol.) A plane of fracture, or divisional plane, of a rock transverse to the stratification. 6. (Arch.) The space between the adjacent surfaces of two bodies joined and held together, as by means of cement, mortar, etc.; as, a thin joint. 7. The means whereby the meeting surfaces of pieces in a structure are secured together. {Coursing joint} (Masonry), the mortar joint between two courses of bricks or stones. {Fish joint}, {Miter joint}, {Universal joint}, etc. See under {Fish}, {Miter}, etc. {Joint bolt}, a bolt for fastening two pieces, as of wood, one endwise to the other, having a nut embedded in one of the pieces. {Joint chair} (Railroad), the chair that supports the ends of abutting rails. {Joint coupling}, a universal joint for coupling shafting. See under {Universal}. {Joint hinge}, a hinge having long leaves; a strap hinge. {Joint splice}, a re["e]nforce at a joint, to sustain the parts in their true relation. {Joint stool}. (a) A stool consisting of jointed parts; a folding stool. --Shak. (b) A block for supporting the end of a piece at a joint; a joint chair. {Out of joint}, out of place; dislocated, as when the head of a bone slips from its socket; hence, not working well together; disordered. ``The time is out of joint.'' --Shak.
\Joint\, a. [F., p. p. of joindre. See {Join}.] 1. Joined; united; combined; concerted; as joint action. 2. Involving the united activity of two or more; done or produced by two or more working together. I read this joint effusion twice over. --T. Hook. 3. United, joined, or sharing with another or with others; not solitary in interest or action; holding in common with an associate, or with associates; acting together; as, joint heir; joint creditor; joint debtor, etc. ``Joint tenants of the world.'' --Donne. 4. Shared by, or affecting two or more; held in common; as, joint property; a joint bond. A joint burden laid upon us all. --Shak. {Joint committee} (Parliamentary Practice), a committee composed of members of the two houses of a legislative body, for the appointment of which concurrent resolutions of the two houses are necessary. --Cushing. {Joint meeting}, or {Joint session}, the meeting or session of two distinct bodies as one; as, a joint meeting of committees representing different corporations; a joint session of both branches of a State legislature to chose a United States senator. ``Such joint meeting shall not be dissolved until the electoral votes are all counted and the result declared.'' --Joint Rules of Congress, U. S. {Joint resolution} (Parliamentary Practice), a resolution adopted concurrently by the two branches of a legislative body. ``By the constitution of the United States and the rules of the two houses, no absolute distinction is made between bills and joint resolutions.'' --Barclay (Digest). {Joint rule} (Parliamentary Practice), a rule of proceeding adopted by the concurrent action of both branches of a legislative assembly. ``Resolved, by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that the sixteenth and seventeenth joint rules be suspended for the remainder of the session.'' --Journal H. of R., U. S. {Joint and several} (Law), a phrase signifying that the debt, credit, obligation, etc., to which it is applied is held in such a way that the parties in interest are engaged both together and individually thus a joint and several debt is one for which all the debtors may be sued together or either of them individually. {Joint stock}, stock held in company. {Joint-stock company} (Law), a species of partnership, consisting generally of a large number of members, having a capital divided, or agreed to be divided, into shares, the shares owned by any member being usually transferable without the consent of the rest. {Joint tenancy} (Law), a tenure by two or more persons of estate by unity of interest, title, time, and possession, under which the survivor takes the whole. --Blackstone. {Joint tenant} (Law), one who holds an estate by joint tenancy.
\Joint\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Jointed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Jointing}.] 1. To unite by a joint or joints; to fit together; to prepare so as to fit together; as, to joint boards. Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood. --Pope. 2. To join; to connect; to unite; to combine. Jointing their force 'gainst C[ae]sar. --Shak. 3. To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate. The fingers are jointed together for motion. --Ray. 4. To separate the joints; of; to divide at the joint or joints; to disjoint; to cut up into joints, as meat. ``He joints the neck.'' --Dryden. Quartering, jointing, seething, and roasting. --Holland.
\Joint\, v. i. To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do; as, the stones joint, neatly.
\Joint\, n. 1. [{Jag} a notch.] A projecting or retreating part in something; any irregularity of line or surface, as in a wall. [Now Chiefly U. S.] 2. (Theaters) A narrow piece of scenery used to join together two flats or wings of an interior setting. 3. A place of low resort, as for smoking opium. [Slang]