joint

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A place in the body where two bones meet, often allowing movement.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say a joint, the joints, or two joints.

   Patterns

   • a joint in something
   • the joints in the body
   • replace a joint

   My grandmother has pain in her knee joint.

   The elbow is a joint that lets you bend your arm.

   Arthritis can affect many joints at once.

2. 2nouncountable

   A place where two parts of an object are connected, especially a hinge or a seam.

   Grammar: Countable; often used with 'in' or 'of' to show what is connected.

   Patterns

   • a joint between something
   • the joint of something
   • a tight joint

   The pipe has a leak at the joint.

   Check the joints in the wooden frame for cracks.

   The joint between the two pieces of metal is very strong.

3. 3nouncountableinformal

   A cheap bar, restaurant, or club, especially one that is informal or slightly disreputable.

   Grammar: Countable; often used in informal speech to refer to a place to eat or drink.

   Patterns

   • a burger joint
   • a pizza joint
   • a local joint

   We grabbed lunch at a little burger joint near the station.

   That joint plays great jazz on weekends.

   He owns a few joints around town.

4. 4nouncountableinformal

   A cigarette containing marijuana.

   Grammar: Countable; informal and often used in casual conversation.

   Patterns

   • smoke a joint
   • pass a joint
   • roll a joint

   They sat on the porch and smoked a joint.

   He rolled a joint and passed it around.

   The smell of a joint drifted from the apartment.

5. 5adjectivebefore a noun

   Shared, done, or owned by two or more people together.

   Grammar: Used before a noun: a joint account, a joint effort. Not usually after a verb.

   Patterns

   • a joint account
   • a joint effort
   • a joint venture

   They opened a joint bank account after they got married.

   The project was a joint effort between two companies.

   She has joint custody of the children.

Word forms

Common combinations

joint account

We use a joint account to pay the bills.

joint effort

Cleaning the house was a joint effort.

joint venture

The two firms formed a joint venture to build the bridge.

knee joint

He injured his knee joint while running.

out of joint

She fell and put her shoulder out of joint.

Synonyms and how they differ

articulation

Technical term for a joint in anatomy; use 'joint' in everyday speech.

hinge

A type of joint that allows movement in one direction; 'joint' is more general.

shared

For the adjective sense, 'shared' is close but often emphasizes use by several people rather than ownership.

Word family

jointly adverb

In a shared way; together with others.

jointed adjective

Having joints, especially movable ones.

jointless adjective

Without joints.

Commonly confused: joint or join? joint or junction?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “joint”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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