<B>joint stock,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> stock or capital contributed and owned by a number of persons jointly. It is divided into shares and serves as a common fund. adj. <B>joint-stock.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="jointstockcompany">
<B>joint-stock company,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a company or firm whose capital is owned in shares by stockholders, any one of whom can sell some or all of his shares without the consent of the others. </DL>
<A NAME="jointstockcorporation">
<B>joint-stock corporation,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a corporation whose shares are transferable. </DL>
<A NAME="jointstool">
<B>joint stool,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a stool made of parts fitted or joined together, as distinguished from one more roughly made, as from planks. </DL>
<A NAME="jointtenancy">
<B>joint tenancy,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Law.) equal ownership of property by two or more persons in which the property goes to the surviving owner. </DL>
<A NAME="jointure">
<B>jointure, </B>noun, verb, <B>-tured,</B> <B>-turing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>(Law.) property given to a woman at the time of her marriage. It becomes hers to use upon the death of her husband. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Obsolete.) a joining; union. <DD><I>v.t. </I> (Law.) to make out a jointure to (a wife). </DL>
<A NAME="jointweed">
<B>jointweed, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a group of North American plants of the buckwheat family, with jointed stems, almost no leaves, and spike-like clusters of small, white or pink flowers. </DL>
<A NAME="jointworm">
<B>jointworm, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the larva of certain insects that damage wheat by feeding on the joints of the stalks. </DL>
<A NAME="joist">
<B>joist, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>one of the parallel beams of timber or steel which support the boards of a floor or ceiling. <BR> <I>Ex. They began again on the first floor picking up the top floorboards next to the outer wall, leaving the joists exposed (Harper's).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a scantling larger than a two-by-four. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to provide with or lay across joists. </DL>
<A NAME="jojoba">
<B>jojoba, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a shrub or small tree of the box family, found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Its seeds are used locally as a substitute for coffee, and yield an oil used in printing ink and polishing waxes. </DL>
<A NAME="joke">
<B>joke, </B>noun, verb, <B>joked,</B> <B>joking.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>something said or done to make somebody laugh; remark that is clever and funny; something funny. <BR> <I>Ex. Looking for the hat that was on my head was a good joke on me.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a person or thing laughed at; laughingstock. <BR> <I>Ex. I shall be the standing joke of the mess table, until some greater fool than myself can be found (James Fenimore Cooper).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>something that is not earnest or actually meant. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to make jokes; say or do something as a joke; jest. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to laugh at; make fun of; tease. <BR> <I>Ex. He disliked any risk of being "joked" about Hetty (George Eliot).</I> (SYN) banter, chaff, rally. <BR><I>expr. <B>no joke,</B> </I>a serious matter. <BR> <I>Ex. The loss of my bicycle was no joke.</I> adv. <B>jokingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="jokebook">
<B>jokebook, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a book containing funny stories, sayings, or cartoons; book of jokes. </DL>
<A NAME="joker">
<B>joker, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person who jokes. <DD><B> 2. </B>an extra playing card used in some games, often counting as the highest trump (as in euchre) or as a wild card (as in poker). <DD><B> 3. </B>(U.S.) a phrase or sentence hidden away in a law, contract, or other document, to defeat its apparent purpose. <DD><B> 4. </B>a trick for getting the better of someone. <DD><B> 5. </B>(Slang.) <DD><B> a. </B>a bad-mannered or awkward fellow; clown. <BR> <I>Ex. That joker in the blue suit--siddown or get knocked down (Punch).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a fellow; guy. </DL>
<A NAME="jokesmith">
<B>jokesmith, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) a maker or writer of jokes; gagman. </DL>
<A NAME="jokester">
<B>jokester, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S. Informal.) a person fond of jokes; humorist. <BR> <I>Ex. ... the classic telegram perpetrated by a Hollywood jokester who sent a cluster of his friends into a frenzy by wiring each of them: PLEASE DISREGARD PREVIOUS WIRE (Saturday Review).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="jokey">
<B>jokey</B> or <B>joky, </B>adjective, <B>jokier,</B> <B>jokiest.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> full of jokes; humorous; jocular. <BR> <I>Ex. This section is curiously jokey, a ... playbook, lacking the high seriousness we have come to expect (Sunday Times).</I> adv. <B>jokily.</B> noun <B>jokiness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="jola">
<B>Jola, </B>noun, pl. <B>-la</B> or <B>-las.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a member of a Negro people of Gambia, living south of the Gambia River near the coast. <DD><B> 2. </B>their language. </DL>
<A NAME="jolielaide">
<B>jolie-laide, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (French.) <DD><I>noun </I> a plain-looking woman or girl who has charming ways or other attractive features of personality. <DD><I>adj. </I> (of a woman or girl) plain-looking yet charming or attractive; (literally) nice-plain. <BR> <I>Ex. Mrs. Bedford, an approachable, jolie-laide woman with exuberant blue eyes (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="jollification">
<B>jollification, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> gay entertainment; merrymaking. <BR> <I>Ex. Marriage festivals are usually expensive everywhere and it is hard to limit the price of jollification (London Times).</I> (SYN) festivity, revel. </DL>
<A NAME="jollify">
<B>jollify, </B>transitive verb, intransitive verb, <B>-fied,</B> <B>-fying.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) to make or be jolly or merry. </DL>
<A NAME="jollity">
<B>jollity, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> fun; merriment; festivity; gaiety. <BR> <I>Ex. All now was turn'd to jollity and game (Milton).</I> (SYN) hilarity, mirth. <BR><I>expr. <B>jollities,</B> </I>jolly festivities. <BR> <I>Ex. As a beginning of our jollities, I must remind our leader that my aunt's board awaits him (Jane Porter).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="jolly">
<B>jolly, </B>adjective, <B>-lier,</B> <B>-liest,</B> adverb, verb, <B>-lied,</B> <B>-lying,</B> noun, pl. <B>-lies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>very cheerful; full of fun; merry. <BR> <I>Ex. And then shook his ears, and was as jolly as ever (Charles Kingsley).</I> (SYN) gay, joyful, mirthful, jovial. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Especially British Informal.) <DD><B> a. </B>pleasant or delightful. <BR> <I>Ex. a jolly room. I've got such a jolly pony (Thackeray).</I> (SYN) agreeable. <DD><B> b. </B>big; great. <BR> <I>Ex. a jolly fool. They had a jolly fight.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Archaic.) tipsy. <DD><I>adv. </I> (Especially British Informal.) extremely; very. <BR> <I>Ex. a jolly good time. My friend, you made a mistake, and you jolly well know it (Rudyard Kipling).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>(Informal.) to flatter (a person) to make him feel good or agreeable. <BR> <I>Ex. Jolly him up a bit.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to tease playfully; banter. <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>(Informal.) to jolly someone; banter. <DD><B> 2. </B>to make merry. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>(Informal.) flattering words to make a person feel good or agreeable, often to gain some end. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal.) gay entertainment; merrymaking. <DD><B> 3. </B>(British Slang.) a royal marine. noun <B>jollier.</B> adv. <B>jollily.</B> noun <B>jolliness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="jollyboat">
<B>jolly boat,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a small boat carried on a ship, usually at the stern. </DL>
<A NAME="jollyroger">
<B>Jolly Roger,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a pirates' black flag with a white skull and crossbones on it; black flag; blackjack. </DL>
<A NAME="jolt">
<B>jolt, </B>verb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to shake up; jar. <BR> <I>Ex. The wagon jolted us when the wheel went over the rocks.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to shock or surprise suddenly. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to move with a shock or jerk. <BR> <I>Ex. The car jolted across the rough ground.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a jar, shock, or jerk. <BR> <I>Ex. I put the brakes on suddenly and the car stopped with a jolt.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) a sudden surprise or shock. <BR> <I>Ex. The loss of so much money gave him a severe jolt.</I> noun <B>jolter.</B> adv. <B>joltingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="jolty">
<B>jolty, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that jolts; jolting. </DL>
<A NAME="jomon">
<B>Jomon, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or belonging to a Japanese culture lasting from about 3000 to 2000 B.C., characterized by pottery and other artifacts made of sea shells. </DL>
<A NAME="jonah">
<B>Jonah, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(in the Bible) a Hebrew prophet who was thrown overboard during a storm because he disobeyed God. He was swallowed by a large fish and later cast up on land alive. <DD><B> 2. </B>a book of the Old Testament that tells about him. <DD><B> 3. </B>a person or thing whose presence is supposed to bring bad luck. <BR> <I>Ex. A Jonah must be cast overboard to save the ship (Cardinal Newman).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="jonas">
<B>Jonas, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> Jonah, in the Douay Bible. </DL>
<A NAME="jonathan">
<B>Jonathan, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the son of Saul, and a devoted friend of David (in the Bible, I Samuel 19:1-10). <DD><B> 2. </B>a bright-red apple with a fine flavor, that ripens in the early autumn. </DL>
<A NAME="jones">
<B>Jones</B> or <B>jones, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S. Slang.) <DD><B> 1. </B>Often, <B>the Jones.</B> drug addiction. <BR> <I>Ex. "Drugs were ruining my life. But then the Brothers got hold of me and wouldn't let me out of their sight. You get a guy on the Jones and that's what you have to do" (Time).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a narcotic, especially heroin. <BR> <I>Ex. "Jones" is slang both for heroin and its craving (as in "his jones came on him so bad"). The top ghetto jones-man, as pragmatic as a dumdum bullet, hunts his upstart challengers with stunning, careless cruelty (Newsweek).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="joneses">
<B>Joneses, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> the more prosperous or fashionable people of one's neighborhood or social circle; those who represent a desirable status in society, collectively. <BR> <I>Ex. to keep up with the Joneses. [At] this place ... there's no living up to the Joneses; there's just a natural desire to help, without any need to make impressions (Calvin Trillin).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="jongleur">
<B>jongleur, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a wandering minstrel or entertainer in the Middle Ages. </DL>
