joint

Etymology

The noun is from Middle English joynt (attested since the late 13th century), from Old French joint (“joint of the body”) (attested since the 12th century). The adjective (attested since the 15th century) is from Old French jointiz. Both Old French words are from Latin iūnctus, the past participle of iungō. See also join, jugular. 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.

adj

1. Done by two or more people or organisations working together.
   The play was a joint production between the two companies.

noun

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.
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 derogatory) A place of business, particularly in the food service or hospitality industries.
   1. (slang, dated) A place of resort for tramps.
   2. (slang, US, dated) An opium den.
9. (slang, with the definite article) Prison.
   I'm just trying to stay out of the joint.
10. (slang) A marijuana cigarette.
    After locking the door and closing the shades, they lit the joint.
11. (slang, dated) A syringe used to inject an illicit drug.
    Captain Jack McMahon, chief of Houston's police narcotics division, holds tools of the “junkie” trade, including “joints” (syringes), needles, heroin, milk sugar (used to cut pure heroin), spoons for heating a shot of heroin (mixed with water), […] 1954, Listen, volumes 7-10, page 131
12. (US, slang) The penis.
    There I was, going down at last on the star of all those pornographic films that I had been producing in my head since I first laid a hand upon my own joint... 1969, Philip Roth, “Cunt Crazy”, in Portnoy’s Complaint, New York: Vintage, published 1994, page 158
13. (originally an idiolectic sense) A thing.
    a Spike Lee joint
    Compare: jawn

verb

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
   Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood.
   But I must warn you that chipboard floors are always likely to squeak. The material is still being used in new-builds, but developers now use adhesive to bed and joint it, rather than screws or nails. I suspect the adhesive will eventually embrittle and crack, resulting in the same squeaking problems as before. 17 August 2014, Jeff Howell, “Home improvements: Repairing and replacing floorboards [print version: Never buy anything from a salesman, 16 August 2014, p. P7]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Property)
2. (transitive) To join; to connect; to unite; to combine.
3. (transitive) To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate.
4. (transitive) To separate the joints; of; to divide at the joint or joints; to disjoint; to cut up into joints, as meat.
5. (intransitive) To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do.
   the stones joint, neatly.