| ball joint |
a mechanical joint, often found in tools and machines, in which the ball-shaped end of a rod or pipe is fitted into a hollow socket, enabling the inserted part to rotate freely in any direction. |
| ball-and-socket joint |
a skeletal joint in which the ball-shaped end of a bone, often part of a limb, fits into and rotates quite freely within the hollow, spherical socket of another bone. [2 definitions] |
| clip joint |
(slang) a business, esp. a place of entertainment, that charges excessive prices. |
| fish joint |
the joint between two timbers, beams, or rails that are bolted together lengthwise or end to end, usu. by a fishplate or fishplates. |
| hip joint |
the ball-and-socket joint consisting of the head of the femur and its receptacle in the pelvis. |
| joint account |
a bank or stock account in the names of two or more people, all of whom may withdraw funds from it. |
| Joint Chiefs of Staff |
the principal military advisory body to the President of the United States, consisting of the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. |
| joint committee |
a committee consisting of members from both houses of a bicameral legislature, or from two or more organizations. |
| joint resolution |
a resolution passed by both houses of a bicameral legislature. |
| joint return |
a single U.S. income tax return combining the individual incomes of a married couple. |
| joint-stock company |
a company organized like a corporation except that stockholders are liable for debts. |
| knuckle joint |
any joint between two bones that forms a knuckle. [2 definitions] |
| lap joint |
a joint, as of wooden pieces, in which two ends are partially trimmed and then fastened to form a flush surface. |
| out of joint |
not joined in a proper or usual manner; dislocated. [3 definitions] |
| toggle joint |
a joint shaped like a knee or elbow, with two parts pivoted together so that pressure applied to the pivot point forces the parts to straighten and exert outward pressure at their free ends. |
| tongue-and-groove joint |
a carpentry joint in which a projection on one board is fitted into a matching groove on the next. |
| U-joint |
variant of universal joint. |
| universal joint |
a connection between rotating shafts set at angles to one another, permitting rotation in three planes. |