\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]