joint
joint — verb
1. to cut a whole bird or large piece of meat into smaller pieces by slicing throug
to cut a whole bird or large piece of meat into smaller pieces by slicing through the places where bones meet, so that each piece can be cooked as a separate portion.
Asher jointed the whole chicken before roasting the legs and breast separately.
joint + whole [animal], then roast parts separately
The butcher showed Élise how to joint a leg of lamb for the Sunday roast.
Before slow-cooking, you should joint the beef into two large chunks.
imperative: should joint + [meat] + into [pieces]
Piotr jointed the turkey with a sharp knife, working carefully between each bone.
This recipe calls for a jointed rabbit, cut into four equal pieces.
passive: jointed + [animal] as adjective describing prepared meat
- joint a chicken
- joint a turkey
- joint a rabbit
- joint a leg of lamb
- jointed meat
Grammar Patterns
joint + [whole animal or large cut of meat on the bone]
Usage Note
The object is typically a whole bird, rabbit, or a large piece of meat that still contains bones. This verb is more common in British English cooking contexts; American English often uses 'cut up' for poultry.
Common Mistakes
joint — noun
1. the meeting point of a pair of bones inside the body, which allows you to bend o
the meeting point of a pair of bones inside the body, which allows you to bend or turn your arms, legs, or other parts
Aarav felt a sharp pain in his knee joint after running ten kilometres.
knee / hip / shoulder + joint
The doctor explained that the hip joint can wear down over time.
passive: can wear down
After sleeping in an awkward position, Élise found her shoulder joint was stiff.
possession: her shoulder joint
As we grow older, the cartilage in our joints can become thinner.
Regular swimming helps keep the joints flexible and strong.
- knee joint
- hip joint
- shoulder joint
- stiff joint
- painful joint
- swollen joint
- articulation
formal medical term for the point where bones connect
- hinge
informal comparison, used especially for elbow and knee joints that bend like a door hinge
Grammar Patterns
joint + noun (e.g. knee joint)
adjective + joint
Common Mistakes
2. a condition in which the bones that meet at a joint have been pushed out of thei
a condition in which the bones that meet at a joint have been pushed out of their normal position, usually due to an accident or injury
The rugby player fell badly and put his elbow joint out of joint.
fixed phrase: out of joint
After the car accident, Sivan's shoulder was out of joint and needed surgery.
When a finger is out of joint, a doctor can push it back into place.
passive: is out of joint
The X-ray showed his knee was out of joint, with the bone pushed sideways.
- out of joint
- put out of joint
- force out of joint
- dislocation
the medical noun for the condition, used more formally
- slipped joint
informal term, often used for minor dislocations of fingers or knees
Grammar Patterns
be out of joint
put / force + noun + out of joint
Usage Note
Often used in the fixed phrase 'out of joint'. The phrase can also be used figuratively to describe a system or situation that is in disorder.
3. the place where two separate parts or surfaces are joined together, such as in p
the place where two separate parts or surfaces are joined together, such as in pipes, walls, or structures
The plumber sealed the pipe joint with strong tape to stop the leak.
pipe joint — common collocation
Jin examined the rail joint to make sure the two tracks were properly aligned.
Water was dripping from a loose joint in the ceiling pipe.
loose joint — adjective collocation
The wooden frame was strong at every joint where the beams met.
- pipe joint
- rail joint
- loose joint
- sealed joint
- tight joint
- gap
a space where two parts do not meet or are separated
Grammar Patterns
joint + between + plural noun
adjective + joint
4. a large section of meat, often containing a bone, that is roasted and served as
a large section of meat, often containing a bone, that is roasted and served as a single piece
Felipe roasted a leg of lamb joint for the family dinner on Sunday.
leg of lamb joint — meat-type collocation
The butcher prepared a large beef joint for the Christmas meal.
A pork joint with crispy skin is a favourite Sunday dish in many homes.
pork joint — meat-type collocation
Elena placed the chicken joint in the oven and let it cook for two hours.
- beef joint
- pork joint
- lamb joint
- roast joint
- Sunday joint
Grammar Patterns
type of meat + joint
joint of + meat type
Usage Note
Common in British English for a large piece of meat roasted as the main dish for a meal, especially on Sundays.
5. a single serving-size piece of meat that still has a bone attached, used for gri
a single serving-size piece of meat that still has a bone attached, used for grilling or roasting
Hugo ordered a lamb joint with the bone still in for extra flavour.
lamb joint with the bone still in
The recipe calls for a chicken joint, including the leg and thigh.
Tendai grilled the pork joints over charcoal until they were golden brown.
A beef joint with the bone adds richness to the soup as it simmers.
beef joint with the bone
- lamb joint
- pork joint
- chicken joint
- grilled joint
Grammar Patterns
type of meat + joint
joint of + animal part
Usage Note
This sense refers to individual serving-sized cuts with bone, whereas sense 4 ('LARGE CUT') refers to a large piece intended for roasting whole.
Common Mistakes
6. a small, casual restaurant or bar, especially one that is inexpensive and serves
a small, casual restaurant or bar, especially one that is inexpensive and serves simple food
We grabbed dinner at a pizza joint near the station before catching our train.
pizza / burger / taco + joint
The sushi joint around the corner is always busy at lunchtime.
Aarav and his friends met at their favourite burger joint to celebrate his promotion.
There is a small taco joint on Fifth Street with good food under five dollars.
- burger joint
- pizza joint
- taco joint
- sushi joint
- music joint
- fine dining restaurant
formal, expensive restaurant with high-quality service and food
Grammar Patterns
food type + joint
place name + joint
Usage Note
Informal, positive or neutral in tone. Used for unpretentious places that serve a specific type of food. More casual than 'restaurant'.
7. a bar, club, or other entertainment place that has a reputation for being dirty,
a bar, club, or other entertainment place that has a reputation for being dirty, unsafe, or connected with illegal activities
Tendai found a smoky jazz joint in the old part of the city.
collocation: jazz joint / smoky joint
The police raided the joint after neighbours complained about the noise.
Eve's uncle used to run a little gambling joint behind the market.
collocation: gambling joint
That run-down joint on Elm Street sells drinks to people who are underage.
- smoky joint
- jazz joint
- gambling joint
- run-down joint
Grammar Patterns
often used with adjectives describing the type of place
Usage Note
This sense is always negative — it suggests the place is of low quality or involved in shady business. Use it only in informal speech and writing.
8. a prison, especially one where living conditions are uncomfortable or unpleasant
a prison, especially one where living conditions are uncomfortable or unpleasant
Hana spent three years in the joint for a crime she did not commit.
collocation: in the joint
After the robbery, Justin knew he was headed straight to the joint.
Emre's older brother warned him that life in the joint was no joke.
The prison report described conditions in the joint as overcrowded and dirty.
passive construction: described … as
- in the joint
- the joint
- sent to the joint
Grammar Patterns
in the joint
the joint
Usage Note
Almost always used with the definite article ('the joint') when referring to prison in general. The word carries a tough, informal tone and is common in crime fiction and spoken slang.
Common Mistakes
9. a cigarette made with the dried leaves of the cannabis plant, usually smoked for
a cigarette made with the dried leaves of the cannabis plant, usually smoked for their intoxicating effects
Yael rolled a joint and passed it to her friend at the party.
collocation: roll a joint
The police found three joints in the glove compartment of the car.
Manuela took a long drag from the joint and held the smoke in her lungs.
collocation: take a drag from a joint
At the concert, people were passing joints around the crowd.
Ravindra's father caught him smoking a joint in the backyard shed.
collocation: smoke a joint
- roll a joint
- smoke a joint
- pass a joint
- light a joint
Grammar Patterns
roll a joint
smoke a joint
pass a joint
Usage Note
This sense is very common in informal English but is avoided in formal writing. The term is associated with cannabis culture and recreational use. Do not confuse with 'cigarette' — a joint contains cannabis, not tobacco (though some mix both).
Common Mistakes
joint — adjective
1. describes something in which several people or groups participate equally, shari
describes something in which several people or groups participate equally, sharing ownership, effort, or responsibility
The two companies signed a joint agreement to develop new battery technology.
collocation: joint agreement
Hamza and his sister share a joint bank account to save for emergencies.
collocation: joint bank account
A joint effort by the neighbours made the community garden bloom in spring.
collocation: joint effort
The report was a joint publication from three university research teams.
collocation: joint publication
Valentina and Takeshi made a joint decision to move their company to Taipei.
collocation: joint decision
- joint account
- joint venture
- joint decision
- joint effort
- joint custody
- joint ownership
- joint statement
- joint session
- joint agreement
- joint publication
- shared
most neutral and common; can describe any resource divided among people
- mutual
emphasises a reciprocal relationship (mutual respect, mutual benefit)
- collective
stresses group action or responsibility rather than individuals
- combined
focuses on things brought together (combined effort, combined resources)
- individual
done by or belonging to one person alone
- sole
exclusive ownership or responsibility (sole owner, sole charge)
Grammar Patterns
joint + noun
Usage Note
Typically used before a noun (attributive position). Common in business, legal, and family contexts — for example, joint account, joint venture, joint custody.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
These four words all describe something that involves more than one person or group, but they differ in emphasis. 'Joint' (this sense) is the most direct: it means two or more parties participate equally in something — e.g. a joint bank account, a joint decision. 'Shared' is the broadest and most neutral term; it can describe anything divided or used together, from a shared bedroom to shared responsibility. 'Mutual' stresses a two-way relationship: mutual respect means each person respects the other; mutual benefit means both sides gain. 'Collective' emphasises group action or group identity rather than individuals — a collective decision is made by a group for the group. 'Combined' focuses on bringing things together to form a whole: combined efforts mean everyone's contributions are pooled. Example: 'The two departments made a joint presentation (they prepared and presented it together), showing their combined research (pooled data from both), to the mutual benefit of both teams (each team gained).'
Common collocations
Phrases
- out of joint (fixed phrase, sense noun/2)
- in the joint (fixed phrase, sense noun/8)
Prepositions
- joint between (noun senses: the joint between two bones / between two pipes)
Etymology
Joint entered Middle English in the 13th century from Old French 'joint' (past participle of 'joindre' — to join), which comes from Latin 'iungere' (to join, unite, connect). The same Latin root gives English 'junction', 'conjunction', and 'jugular'. The anatomical sense ('place where bones meet') dates to around 1300, and the 'large cut of meat' sense appears in the 14th century — from cutting along the natural joints of an animal. The adjective meaning 'shared or combined' developed in the 16th century. The informal noun senses — 'place/establishment' (1820s), 'prison' (1880s), and 'cannabis cigarette' (1930s) — all originated in American English slang.