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 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.
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