Chapter 52

Jib boom (Naut.), a spar or boom which serves as an extension of the bowsprit. It is sometimes extended by another spar called the flying jib boom. [Written also gib boom.] -- Jib crane (Mach.), a crane having a horizontal jib on which a trolley moves, bearing the load. -- Jib door (Arch.), a door made flush with the wall, without dressings or moldings; a disguised door. -- Jib header (Naut.), a gaff-topsail, shaped like a jib; a jib-headed topsail. -- Jib topsail (Naut.), a small jib set above and outside of all the other jibs. -- The cut of one's jib, one's outward appearance. [Colloq.] Sir W. Scott.

Jib (?), v. i. [Connected with jibe; cf. OF. giber to shake.] To move restively backward or sidewise, -- said of a horse; to balk. [Written also jibb.] [Eng.]

Jib"ber (?), n. A horse that jibs. [Eng.]

Jibe (jb), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jibed (jbd); p. pr. & vb. n. Jibing (jb"ng).] [Cf. Dan. gibbe, D. gijpen, v. i., and dial. Sw. gippa to jerk. Cf. Jib, n. & v. i.] (Naut.) To shift, as the boom of a fore-and-aft sail, from one side of a vessel to the other when the wind is aft or on the quarter. See Gybe.

Jibe, v. i. 1. (Naut.) To change a ship's course so as to cause a shifting of the boom. See Jibe, v. t., and Gybe.

2. To agree; to harmonize. [Colloq.] Bartlett.

Jif"fy (?), n. [Perh. corrupt. fr. gliff.] [Written also giffy.] A moment; an instant; as, I will be ready in a jiffy. [Colloq.] J. & H. Smith.

Jig (?), n. [OF. gigue a stringed instrument, a kind of dance, F. gigue dance, tune, gig; of German origin; cf. MHG. gge fiddle, G. geige. Cf. Gig a fiddle, Gig a whirligig.]

1. (Mus.) A light, brisk musical movement.

Hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig.

Shak.

3. A light, humorous piece of writing, esp. in rhyme; a farce in verse; a ballad. [Obs.]

A jig shall be clapped at, and every rhyme Praised and applauded.

Beau. & Fl.

4. A piece of sport; a trick; a prank. [Obs.]

Is't not a fine jig, A precious cunning, in the late Protector?

Beau. & Fl.

5. A trolling bait, consisting of a bright spoon and a hook attached.

6. (Mach.) (a) A small machine or handy tool; esp.: (Metal Working) A contrivance fastened to or inclosing a piece of work, and having hard steel surfaces to guide a tool, as a drill, or to form a shield or templet to work to, as in filing. (b) (Mining) An apparatus or a machine for jigging ore.

Drill jig, a jig for guiding a drill. See Jig, 6 (a). -- Jig drilling, Jig filing (Metal Working), a process of drilling or filing in which the action of the tool is directed or limited by a jig. -- Jig saw, a sawing machine with a narrow, vertically reciprocating saw, used to cut curved and irregular lines, or ornamental patterns in openwork, a scroll saw; -- called also gig saw.

Jig, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jigged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Jigging (?).]

1. To sing to the tune of a jig.

Jig off a tune at the tongue's end.

Shak.

2. To trick or cheat; to cajole; to delude. Ford.

3. (Mining) To sort or separate, as ore in a jigger or sieve. See Jigging, n.

4. (Metal Working) To cut or form, as a piece of metal, in a jigging machine.

Jig, v. i. To dance a jig; to skip about.

You jig, you amble, and you lisp.

Shak.

Jig"ger (?), n. [A corrupt. of chigre.] (Zoöl.) A species of flea (Sarcopsylla, or Pulex, penetrans), which burrows beneath the skin. See Chigoe.

Jig"ger, n. [See Jig, n. & v.]

1. One who, or that which, jigs; specifically, a miner who sorts or cleans ore by the process of jigging; also, the sieve used in jigging.

2. (Pottery) (a) A horizontal table carrying a revolving mold, on which earthen vessels are shaped by rapid motion; a potter's wheel. (b) A templet or tool by which vessels are shaped on a potter's wheel.

3. (Naut.) (a) A light tackle, consisting of a double and single block and the fall, used for various purposes, as to increase the purchase on a topsail sheet in hauling it home; the watch tackle. Totten. (b) A small fishing vessel, rigged like a yawl. [New Eng.] (c) A supplementary sail. See Dandy, n., 2 (b).

4. A pendulum rolling machine for slicking or graining leather; same as Jack, 4 (i).

Jigger mast. (Naut.) (a) The after mast of a four-masted vessel. (b) The small mast set at the stern of a yawl-rigged boat.

Jig"ging (?), n. (Mining) The act or using a jig; the act of separating ore with a jigger, or wire-bottomed sieve, which is moved up and down in water.

Jigging machine. (a) (Mining) A machine for separating ore by the process of jigging. (b) (Metal Working) A machine with a rotary milling cutter and a templet by which the action of the cutter is guided or limited; -- used for forming the profile of an irregularly shaped piece; a profiling machine.

Jig"gish (?), a. 1. Resembling, or suitable for, a jig, or lively movement. Tatler.

2. Playful; frisky. [R.]

She is never sad, and yet not jiggish.

Habington.

Jig"gle (?), v. i. [Freq. of jig.] To wriggle or frisk about; to move awkwardly; to shake up and down.

Jig"jog` (?), n. A jolting motion; a jogging pace.

Jig"jog, a. Having a jolting motion.

Jill (?), n. [See Gill sweetheart.] A young woman; a sweetheart. See Gill. Beau. & Fl.

Jill"-flirt` (?), n. A light, giddy, or wanton girl or woman. See Gill-flirt.

Jilt (?), n. [Contr. fr. Scot. jillet a giddy girl, a jill-flirt, dim. of jill a jill.] A woman who capriciously deceives her lover; a coquette; a flirt. Otway.

Jilt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jilted; p. pr. & vb. n. Jilting.] To cast off capriciously or unfeelingly, as a lover; to deceive in love. Locke.

Jilt, v. i. To play the jilt; to practice deception in love; to discard lovers capriciously. Congreve.

Jim"crack` (?), n. See Gimcrack.

Jim"-crow` (?), n. (Mach.) 1. A machine for bending or straightening rails.

2. A planing machine with a reversing tool, to plane both ways.

Jim"my (?), n.; pl. Jimmies (#). [Cf. Jemmy.] A short crowbar used by burglars in breaking open doors. [Written also jemmy.]

Jimp (?), a. [Cf. Gimp, a.] Neat; handsome; elegant. See Gimp.

Jim"son weed` (?). See Jamestown weed. [Local, U.S.]

{ Jin, Jinn (?) }, n. See Jinnee. "Solomon is said to have had power over the jin." Balfour (Cyc. of India).

Jin*gal" (?), n. [Hind. jangl a swivel, a large musket.] A small portable piece of ordnance, mounted on a swivel. [Written also gingal and jingall.] [India]

Jin"gle (?), v. i. [OE. gingelen, ginglen; prob. akin to E. chink; cf. also E. jangle.]

1. To sound with a fine, sharp, rattling, clinking, or tinkling sound; as, sleigh bells jingle. [Written also gingle.]

2. To rhyme or sound with a jingling effect. "Jingling street ballads." Macaulay.

Jin"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jingled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Jingling (?).] To cause to give a sharp metallic sound as a little bell, or as coins shaken together; to tinkle.

The bells she jingled, and the whistle blew.

Pope.

Jin"gle, n. 1. A rattling, clinking, or tinkling sound, as of little bells or pieces of metal.

2. That which makes a jingling sound, as a rattle.

If you plant where savages are, do not only entertain them with trifles and jingles, but use them justly.

Bacon.

3. A correspondence of sound in rhymes, especially when the verse has little merit; hence, the verse itself." The least jingle of verse." Guardian.

Jingle shell. See Gold shell (b), under Gold.

Jin"gler (?), n. One who, or that which, jingles.

Jin"gling (?), n. The act or process of producing a jingle; also, the sound itself; a chink. "The jingling of the guinea." Tennyson.

Jin"gling*ly, adv. So as to jingle. Lowell.

Jin"go (?), n.; pl. Jingoes (#). [Said to be a corruption of St. Gingoulph.]

1. A word used as a jocular oath. "By the living jingo." Goldsmith.

2. A statesman who pursues, or who favors, aggressive, domineering policy in foreign affairs. [Cant, Eng.]

This sense arose from a doggerel song which was popular during the Turco-Russian war of 1877 and 1878. The first two lines were as follows: --

We don't want to fight, but by Jingo if we do, We 've got the ships, we 've got the men, we 've got the money too.

Jin"go*ism (?), n. The policy of the Jingoes, so called. See Jingo, 2. [Cant, Eng.]

Jin"nee (jn"n), n.; pl. Jinn (jn). [Ar.] (Arabian & Mohammedan Myth.) A genius or demon; one of the fabled genii, good and evil spirits, supposed to be the children of fire, and to have the power of assuming various forms. [Written also jin, djinnee, etc.]

Jinn is also used as sing., with pl. jinns (&?;).

Jin"ny road` (?). [Cf. Gin an engine, Ginnycarriage.] (Mining) An inclined road in a coal mine, on which loaded cars descend by gravity, drawing up empty ones. Knight.

Jin*rik"i*sha (?), n. [Jap. jin man + riki power + sha carriage.] A small, two- wheeled, hooded vehicle drawn by one or more men. [Japan]

Jip"po (jp"p), n. [Abbrev. fr. juppon.] A waistcoat or kind of stays for women.

Jo (?), n.; pl. Joes (#). [Etymol. uncertain.] A sweetheart; a darling. [Scot.] Burns.

Job (jb), n. [Prov. E. job, gob, n., a small piece of wood, v., to stab, strike; cf. E. gob, gobbet; perh. influenced by E. chop to cut off, to mince. See Gob.]

1. A sudden thrust or stab; a jab.

2. A piece of chance or occasional work; any definite work undertaken in gross for a fixed price; as, he did the job for a thousand dollars.

3. A public transaction done for private profit; something performed ostensibly as a part of official duty, but really for private gain; a corrupt official business.

4. Any affair or event which affects one, whether fortunately or unfortunately. [Colloq.]

<! p. 801 !>

5. A situation or opportunity of work; as, he lost his job. [Colloq.]

Job is used adjectively to signify doing jobs, used for jobs, or let on hire to do jobs; as, job printer; job master; job horse; job wagon, etc.

By the job, at a stipulated sum for the work, or for each piece of work done; -- distinguished from time work; as, the house was built by the job. -- Job lot, a quantity of goods, usually miscellaneous, sold out of the regular course of trade, at a certain price for the whole; as, these articles were included in a job lot. -- Job master, one who lest out horses and carriages for hire, as for family use. [Eng.] -- Job printer, one who does miscellaneous printing, esp. circulars, cards, billheads, etc. -- Odd job, miscellaneous work of a petty kind; occasional work, of various kinds, or for various people.

Job (jb), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jobbed (jbd); p. pr. & vb. n. Jobbing.]

1. To strike or stab with a pointed instrument. L'Estrange.

2. To thrust in, as a pointed instrument. Moxon.

3. To do or cause to be done by separate portions or lots; to sublet (work); as, to job a contract.

4. (Com.) To buy and sell, as a broker; to purchase of importers or manufacturers for the purpose of selling to retailers; as, to job goods.

5. To hire or let by the job or for a period of service; as, to job a carriage. Thackeray.

Job, v. i. 1. To do chance work for hire; to work by the piece; to do petty work.

Authors of all work, to job for the season.

Moore.

2. To seek private gain under pretense of public service; to turn public matters to private advantage.

And judges job, and bishops bite the town.

Pope.

3. To carry on the business of a jobber in merchandise or stocks.

Job (jb), n. The hero of the book of that name in the Old Testament; the typical patient man.

Job's comforter. (a) A false friend; a tactless or malicious person who, under pretense of sympathy, insinuates rebukes. (b) A boil. [Colloq.] -- Job's news, bad news. Carlyle. -- Job's tears (Bot.), a kind of grass (Coix Lacryma), with hard, shining, pearly grains.

Jo*ba"tion (?), n. [Prov. E. job to scold, to reprove, perh. fr. Job, the proper name.] A scolding; a hand, tedious reproof. [Low] Grose.

Job"ber (?), n. 1. One who works by the job.

2. A dealer in the public stocks or funds; a stockjobber. [Eng.]

3. One who buys goods from importers, wholesalers, or manufacturers, and sells to retailers.

4. One who turns official or public business to private advantage; hence, one who performs low or mercenary work in office, politics, or intrigue.

Job"ber*nowl` (?), n. [OE. jobbernoule, fr. jobarde a stupid fellow; cf. E. noll.] A blockhead. [Colloq. & Obs.] H. Taylor.

Job"ber*y (?), n. 1. The act or practice of jobbing.

2. Underhand management; official corruption; as, municipal jobbery. Mayhew.

Job"bing (?), a. 1. Doing chance work or odd jobs; as, a jobbing carpenter.

2. Using opportunities of public service for private gain; as, a jobbing politician. London Sat. Rev.

Jobbing house, a mercantile establishment which buys from importers, wholesalers or manufacturers, and sells to retailers. [U.S.]

Jo"cant*ry (?), n. [L. jocans, p. pr. of jocare to jest, fr. jocus a jest.] The act or practice of jesting. [Obs.]

Jock"ey (?), n.; pl. Jockeys (#). [Dim. of Jack, Scot. Jock; orig., a boy who rides horses. See 2d Jack.]

1. A professional rider of horses in races. Addison.

2. A dealer in horses; a horse trader. Macaulay.

3. A cheat; one given to sharp practice in trade.

Jock"ey, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jockeyed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Jockeying.] 1. " To jostle by riding against one." Johnson.

2. To play the jockey toward; to cheat; to trick; to impose upon in trade; as, to jockey a customer.

Jock"ey, v. i. To play or act the jockey; to cheat.

Jock"ey*ing (?), n. The act or management of one who jockeys; trickery. Beaconsfield.

Jock"ey*ism (?), n. The practice of jockeys.

Jock"ey*ship, n. The art, character, or position, of a jockey; the personality of a jockey.

Go flatter Sawney for his jockeyship.

Chatterton.

Where can at last his jockeyship retire?

Cowper.

Jo*cose" (?), a. [L jocosus, fr. jocus joke. See Joke.] Given to jokes and jesting; containing a joke, or abounding in jokes; merry; sportive; humorous.

To quit their austerity and be jocose and pleasant with an adversary.

Shaftesbury.

All . . . jocose or comical airs should be excluded.

I. Watts.

Syn. -- Jocular; facetious; witty; merry; pleasant; waggish; sportive; funny; comical.

-- Jo*cose"ly, adv. -- Jo*cose"ness, n.

Spondanus imagines that Ulysses may possibly speak jocosely, but in truth Ulysses never behaves with levity.

Broome.

He must beware lest his letter should contain anything like jocoseness; since jesting is incompatible with a holy and serious life.

Buckle.

Jo`co*se"ri*ous (?), a. [Jocose + serious.] Mingling mirth and seriousness. M. Green.

Jo*cos"i*ty (?), n. A jocose act or saying; jocoseness. Sir T. Browne.

Joc"u*lar (?), a. [L. jocularis, fr. joculus, dim. of jocus joke. See Joke.]

1. Given to jesting; jocose; as, a jocular person.

2. Sportive; merry. "Jocular exploits." Cowper.

The style is serious and partly jocular.

Dryden.

Joc`u*lar"i*ty (?), n. Jesting; merriment.

Joc"u*lar*ly (?), adv. In jest; for sport or mirth; jocosely.

Joc"u*la*ry (?), a. [L. jocularius. Cf. Jocular.] Jocular; jocose; sportive. Bacon.

Joc"u*la`tor (?), n. [L. See Juggler.] A jester; a joker. [Obs.] Strutt.

Joc"u*la*to*ry (?), a. [L. joculatorius.] Droll; sportive. [Obs.] Cockeram.

Joc"und (?), [L. jocundus, jucundus, orig., helpful, fr. juvare to help. See Aid.] Merry; cheerful; gay; airy; lively; sportive.

Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

Shak.

Rural sports and jocund strains.

Prior.

-- Joc"und*ly (#), adv. -- Joc"und*ness, n.

Joc"und, adv. Merrily; cheerfully. Gray.

Jo*cun"di*ty (?), n. [L. jocunditas jucunditas. See Jocund, and cf. Jucundity.] The state or quality of being jocund; gayety; sportiveness.

Joe (?), n. See Johannes.

Joe" Mil"ler (?). [From Joseph Miller, a comic actor, whose name was attached, after his death, to a popular jest book published in 1739.] A jest book; a stale jest; a worn-out joke. [Colloq.]

It is an old Joe Miller in whist circles, that there are only two reasons that can justify you in not returning trumps to your partner's lead; i. e., first, sudden illness; secondly, having none.

Pole.

Joe`-Pye" weed` (?). (Bot.) A tall composite plant of the genus Eupatorium (E. purpureum), with purplish flowers, and whorled leaves.

Jog (jg), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Jogged (jgd); p. pr. & vb. n. Jogging (-gng).] [OE. joggen; cf. W. gogi to shake, and also E. shog, shock, v.]

1. To push or shake with the elbow or hand; to jostle; esp., to push or touch, in order to give notice, to excite one's attention, or to warn.

Now leaps he upright, jogs me, and cries: Do you see Yonder well-favored youth?

Donne.

Sudden I jogged Ulysses, who was laid Fast by my side.

Pope.

2. To suggest to; to notify; to remind; to call the attention of; as, to jog the memory.

3. To cause to jog; to drive at a jog, as a horse. See Jog, v. i.

Jog, v. i. To move by jogs or small shocks, like those of a slow trot; to move slowly, leisurely, or monotonously; -- usually with on, sometimes with over.

Jog on, jog on, the footpath way.

Shak.

So hung his destiny, never to rot, While he might still jog on and keep his trot.

Milton.

The good old ways our sires jogged safely over.

R. Browning.

Jog, n. 1. A slight shake; a shake or push intended to give notice or awaken attention; a push; a jolt.

To give them by turns an invisible jog.

Swift.

2. A rub; a slight stop; an obstruction; hence, an irregularity in motion of from; a hitch; a break in the direction of a line or the surface of a plane. Glanvill.

Jog trot, a slow, regular, jolting gait; hence, a routine habit or method, persistently adhered to. T. Hook.

Jog"ger (?), n. One who jogs. Dryden.

Jog"ging (?), n. The act of giving a jog or jogs; traveling at a jog.

Jog"gle (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Joggled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Joggling (?).] [Freq. of jog.]

1. To shake slightly; to push suddenly but slightly, so as to cause to shake or totter; to jostle; to jog.

2. (Arch.) To join by means of joggles, so as to prevent sliding apart; sometimes, loosely, to dowel.

The struts of a roof are joggled into the truss posts.

Gwilt.

Jog"gle, v. i. To shake or totter; to slip out of place.

Jog"gle, n. [Arch.] A notch or tooth in the joining surface of any piece of building material to prevent slipping; sometimes, but incorrectly, applied to a separate piece fitted into two adjacent stones, or the like.

Joggle joint (Arch.), a joint in any kind of building material, where the joining surfaces are made with joggles.

Jo`han*ne"an (j`hn*n"an), a. Of or pertaining to John, esp. to the Apostle John or his writings. M. Stuart.

Jo*han"nes (j*hn"nz), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, Heb. Yhkhnn, Ykhnn, i. e., one whom Jehovah has blessed; hence F. Jean, E. John.] (Numis.) A Portuguese gold coin of the value of eight dollars, named from the figure of King John which it bears; -- often contracted into joe; as, a joe, or a half joe.

Jo*han"nis*ber`ger (?), n. [G.] A fine white wine produced on the estate of Schloss (or Castle) Johannisberg, on the Rhine.

John (jn), n. [See Johannes.] A proper name of a man.

John-apple, a sort of apple ripe about St. John's Day. Same as Apple-john. -- John Bull, an ideal personification of the typical characteristics of an Englishman, or of the English people. -- John Bullism, English character. W. Irving. -- John Doe (Law), the name formerly given to the fictitious plaintiff in an action of ejectment. Mozley & W. -- John Doree, John Dory. [John (or F. jaune yellow) + Doree, Dory.] (Zoöl.) An oval, compressed, European food fish (Zeus faber). Its color is yellow and olive, with golden, silvery, and blue reflections. It has a round dark spot on each side. Called also dory, doree, and St. Peter's fish.

John"a*dreams` (?), n. A dreamy, idle fellow. Shak.

John"ny (?), n.; pl. Johnnies (&?;). 1. A familiar diminutive of John.

2. (Zoöl.) A sculpin. [Local cant]

Johny Crapaud (&?;), a jocose designation of a Frenchman, or of the French people, collectively.

John"ny*cake` (-kk`), n. A kind of bread made of the meal of maize (Indian corn), mixed with water or milk, etc., and baked. [U.S.] J. Barlow.

John`son*ese" (?), n. The literary style of Dr. Samuel Johnson, or one formed in imitation of it; an inflated, stilted, or pompous style, affecting classical words. E. Everett.

John"son grass` (?). [Named after W. Johnson of Alabama, who planted it about 1840-1845.] (Bot.) A tall perennial grass (Sorghum Halepense), valuable in the Southern and Western States for pasture and hay. The rootstocks are large and juicy and are eagerly sought by swine. Called also Cuba grass, Means grass, Evergreen millet, and Arabian millet.

John*so"ni*an (?), a. Pertaining to or resembling Dr. Johnson or his style; pompous; inflated.

John*so"ni*an*ism (?), n. A manner of acting or of writing peculiar to, or characteristic of, Dr. Johnson. [Written also Johnsonism.]

John's"-wort` (?), n. See St. John's-wort.

Join (join), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Joined (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Joining.] [OE. joinen, joignen, F. joindre, fr. L. jungere to yoke, bind together, join; akin to jugum yoke. See Yoke, and cf. Conjugal, Junction, Junta.]

1. To bring together, literally or figuratively; to place in contact; to connect; to couple; to unite; to combine; to associate; to add; to append.

Woe unto them that join house to house.

Is. v. 8.

Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn Like twenty torches joined.

Shak.

Thy tuneful voice with numbers join.

Dryden.

2. To associate one's self to; to be or become connected with; to league one's self with; to unite with; as, to join a party; to join the church.

We jointly now to join no other head.

Dryden.

3. To unite in marriage.

He that joineth his virgin in matrimony.

Wyclif.

What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matt. xix. 6.

4. To enjoin upon; to command. [Obs. & R.]

They join them penance, as they call it.

Tyndale.

5. To accept, or engage in, as a contest; as, to join encounter, battle, issue. Milton.

To join battle, To join issue. See under Battle, Issue.

Syn. -- To add; annex; unite; connect; combine; consociate; couple; link; append. See Add.

Join, v. i. To be contiguous, close, or in contact; to come together; to unite; to mingle; to form a union; as, the bones of the skull join; two rivers join.

Whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

Acts xviii. 7.

Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations?

Ezra ix. 14.

Nature and fortune joined to make thee great.

Shak.

Join, n. (Geom.) The line joining two points; the point common to two intersecting lines. Henrici.

Join"ant (?), a. [OF. & F. joignant, p. pr. of joindre to join.] Adjoining. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Join"der (?), n. [F. joindre. See Join, v. t.]

1. The act of joining; a putting together; conjunction.

Confirmed by mutual joinder of your hands.

Shak.

2. (Law) (a) A joining of parties as plaintiffs or defendants in a suit. (b) Acceptance of an issue tendered in law or fact. (c) A joining of causes of action or defense in civil suits or criminal prosecutions.

Join"er, n. 1. One who, or that which, joins.

2. One whose occupation is to construct articles by joining pieces of wood; a mechanic who does the woodwork (as doors, stairs, etc.) necessary for the finishing of buildings. "One Snug, the joiner." Shak.

3. A wood-working machine, for sawing, plaining, mortising, tenoning, grooving, etc.

Syn. -- See Carpenter.

Join"er*y (?), n. The art, or trade, of a joiner; the work of a joiner.

A piece of joinery . . . whimsically dovetailed.

Burke.

Join"hand` (?), n. Writing in which letters are joined in words; -- distinguished from writing in single letters. Addison.

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.