joint

n. [ F. joint, fr. joindre, p. p. joint. See Join. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A scaly gauntlet now, with joints of steel,
Must glove this hand. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tear thee joint by joint. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Any one of the large pieces of meat, as cut into portions by the butcher for roasting. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Geol.) A plane of fracture, or divisional plane, of a rock transverse to the stratification. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The means whereby the meeting surfaces of pieces in a structure are secured together. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. [ Jag a notch. ] A projecting or retreating part in something; any irregularity of line or surface, as in a wall. [ Now Chiefly U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

9. (Theaters) A narrow piece of scenery used to join together two flats or wings of an interior setting. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

10. a disreputable establishment, or a place of low resort, as for smoking opium; -- also used for a commercial establishment, implying a less than impeccable reputation, but often in jest; as, talking about a high-class joint is an oxymoron. [ Slang ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

11. a marijuana cigarette. [ Slang ] [ PJC ]

12. prison; -- used with “the”. [ Slang ] “ he spent five years in the joint.” [ PJC ]

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 reënforce 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do; as, the stones joint, neatly. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Jointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Jointing. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To unite by a joint or joints; to fit together; to prepare so as to fit together; as, to joint boards. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To join; to connect; to unite; to combine. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jointing their force 'gainst Caesar. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fingers are jointed together for motion. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quartering, jointing, seething, and roasting. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., p. p. of joindre. See Join. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Joined; united; combined; concerted; as, joint action. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Involving the united activity of two or more; done or produced by two or more working together. [ 1913 Webster ]

I read this joint effusion twice over. T. Hook. [ 1913 Webster ]

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; a joint bank account; joint debtor, etc. “Joint tenants of the world.” Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Shared by, or affecting two or more; held in common; as, joint property; a joint bond. [ 1913 Webster ]

A joint burden laid upon us all. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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; used especially in the phrase joint and several liability. --
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. Contrassted with tenant in common. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having joints; articulated; full of nodes; knotty; as, a jointed doll; jointed structure. “The jointed herbage.” J. Philips. -- Joint"ed*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. One who, or that which, joints. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A plane for smoothing the surfaces of pieces which are to be accurately joined; especially: (a) The longest plane used by a joiner. (b) (Coopering) A long stationary plane, for planing the edges of barrel staves. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Masonry) (a) A bent piece of iron inserted to strengthen the joints of a wall. (b) A tool for pointing the joints in brickwork. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A genus (Ephedra) of leafless shrubs, with the stems conspicuously jointed; -- called also shrubby horsetail. There are about thirty species, of which two or three are found from Texas to California. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or process of making a joint; also, the joints thus produced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jointing machine, a planing machine for wood used in furniture and piano factories, etc. --
Jointing plane. See Jointer, 2. --
Jointing rule (Masonry), a long straight rule, used by bricklayers for securing straight joints and faces. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a joint; rigid; stiff. [ 1913 Webster ]