▪ I. join, n.
[f. join v.1]
An act of joining, or the fact of being joined; concr. the formation or the place in which two things or parts of a thing are joined, a line of junction, a joining. Also join-up.
| 1825 E. Hewlett Cottage Comf. v. 36 Saving sixpence..by having a join, which a good needlewoman can do in half an hour. 1884 H. R. Haweis Musical Mem. iii. 89 The obvious join between the neck and the head of old violins. 1894 Cook Old Touraine II. 187 To hide the join of the old masonry with the new. Mod. Let us see what sort of a join you have made. That is not a very good join. 1945 A. Lunn Third Day v. 47 If we are expected to accept the hypothesis of a second-century compiler who worked his heterogeneous materials into an artistic unity with..skill we may ask why the join-ups between the ‘we’ sections and the rest of the Acts are so inartistic. 1969 Sun 22 July 1/2 On the join-up, Eagle and Columbia ended their separate existences [as space vehicles] and became Apollo-11 again. |
▪ II. join, v.1
(dʒɔɪn)
Forms: 3–7 ioin, 7– join; also 4–5 ioign, ioygn, 4–6 ione, 4–7 ioyn, (5 iony-on, iunge, 5–6 yoyn, iune), 7–8 joyn.
[ME. a. OF. joign- stem of joindre (= It. giugnere):—L. jungĕre to join: root jug- = Gr. ζυγ-, Skt. yuj-, Indo-Eur. yug-, whence OTeut. juk-, Eng. yoke. The rimes show the pronunciation (dʒaɪn) in 17–18th c.; this is still dialectal.]
I. trans. To put together, to unite one thing to another, in any kind of connexion physical or immaterial.
1. a. To put (things) together, so that they become physically united or continuous; to fasten, attach, connect, unite (one thing to another); also, to connect by means of something intervening or attached to each, e.g. two islands by a bridge.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1616 Þe soule þoru godes grace out of helle he broȝte, & to is bodi is ioinede, & ȝef him cristendom. 1382 Wyclif Job xli. 7 Oon to oon is ioyned. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 264/1 Ioynyn, or ionyon, jungo, compagino. 1483 Cath. Angl. 199/2 To Iunge (A. Iune), adiungere, apponere. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 876 Some of them are..strangely ioyned without morter. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 120 Onely a lake when the River overfloweth; joyned thereunto by a chanell. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 77 Consisting of many Ilands joyned with Bridges. 1704 Pope Windsor For. 400 Seas but join the regions they divide. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. II. 114/1 Joyn the ends of the Timbers together. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 567 Fig. 569 shews how two pieces may be joined by..a niche. 1885 Watson & Burbury Math. The. Electr. & Magn. I. 244 The pairs are said to be joined in series. |
† b. To harness (horses, etc. together, or to a vehicle, or the vehicle to the horses); to yoke.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 260 Grace gaue Piers a teme,..And ioigned to hem one Iohan most gentil of alle, Þe prys nete of Piers plow, passyng alle other. 1382 Wyclif Jer. xlvi. 4 Ioyneth hors, and steȝeth vp, ȝee hors men. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iii. ii, I haue ioyned and bound [a bull and an ox] bothe to gyder. 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 24 He bade the light-foot Houres without delay To joyn his Steeds. 1728 Newton Chronol. Amended i. 144 It was Erechtheus that first joyned a chariot to horses. |
† c. To combine in a mixture. Obs.
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 24 He [the ligament] is ioyned wiþ senewis to make cordis and brawnes. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 3, & so ioyned with the golde, it is of more fresshe colour. 1530 Palsgr. 593/1 All the worlde can nat joyne fyre and water togyther. 1626 Bacon Sylva §50 Pistachoes..joyned with Almonds in almond milk,.. are an excellent nourisher. |
d. Geom. To connect (two points) by a straight line; to draw the straight line between.
| 1660 Barrow Euclid i. vii, If D falls without the triangle ACB, let CD be joined. Ibid. xvi, Join FC, and IC; and produce ACG. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 686 Describe a circle, cutting the ellipsis in the four points k, l, m, n; join k, l, and m, n. 1885 C. Leudesdorf Cremona's Proj. Geom. 72 The straight line which joins a pair of corresponding points. |
2. To put or bring into close contact, cause to touch each other. to join hands: see 19.
| c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 393 A whelpe..Hylde doun hys hede and ioyned hys erys. c 1450 Merlin 333 Kynge Boors..ioyned his feet and lept vpon the deed bodyes of men..that he hadde slain. 1552 Huloet, Ioyne lyppes, collabello. 1609 Bible (Douay) Num. xxii. 25 The asse..ioyned her⁓selfe close to the wal, and brused the foote of him that ridde. 1662 R. Mathew Unl. Alch. §85. 115 Alwayes ready to join my shoulder unto him that is ready to fall. 1717 Pope Eloisa 349 O'er the pale marble shall they join their heads. |
3. To put together, combine, unite (immaterial things, or one with or to another or a person).
| 1340 Ayenb. 247 Þe yefþe of wysdom..þet is alsuo y-goyned to god. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. vi. 43 (Camb. MS.) The yiftes of fortune..neyther they ne Ioignen hem nat alwey to goode men, ne makyn hem alwey goode to whom they ben I-ioigned. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cxxxiii, Lat wisedom ay vnto thy will be Iunyt. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 169 When we have learned usual and accustomable wordes to set forthe our meanyng, wee ought to ioyne them together in apt order. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 247 b, That they..may ioyne theyr prayers with his, that is, with God and religion. 1604 E. G[rimstone] tr. D'Acosta's Hist. Ind. iii. xxii. 187 By reason of continuall moisture ioyned to the heate of the burning Zone. a 1626 Bacon New Atl. 15 That King also still desiring to joyn Humanity and Policy together. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxxiii. §18 Two Ideas that they have been accustom'd so to join in their minds as to substitute one for the other. 1882 Hinsdale Garfield & Educ. ii. 248 The disaster that may be brought upon us by ignorance and vice in the citizen when joined to corruption and fraud in the suffrage. |
† 4. To put (something) to another thing or things, so as to increase the amount or number; to add, annex; to add in contribution. Obs.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 1008 Ȝet Ioyned Iohan þe crysolyt, Þe sevenþe gemme in fundament. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 b, Ioynynge also therto the goostly exercyse and experyence of holy fathers. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. ix. 42 b, Terpandre the famous Musition, which ioined the seventh string to the quadricord. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 231 Who, with a Charme ioynd to their suffred labour I haue left asleep. 1645 Ussher Body Div. (1647) 411 Those five other Sacraments..joyned by the Papists, are superfluous. 1693 Dryden Juvenal Ded. to Ld. Dorset, Obsolete Words may then be laudably reviv'd..when their Obscurity is taken away, by joyning other Words to them, which clear the Sense. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 346 While expletives their feeble aid do join. |
5. a. To bring or put (persons, troops, etc.) into one body or company; to unite, combine. to join forces, fig. to combine efforts.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 224 b, That he myghte ioyne the munition of hys brother..and hys owne to gether. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. viii. 60 Tha conclude, and propones to June thair forces against the Erle Douglas. 1615 J. Stephens Satyr. Ess. 341 His first..is to joyne forces, and make up his defects of pollicy..by partaking in anothers projects. 1715 Vanbrugh Country Ho. i. Wks. (Rtldg.) 462/2 Let's join companies. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. xi. 256 All the ships being joined, the Commodore made a signal to speak with their Commanders. |
† b. refl. To attach oneself to, associate oneself with, or go into the company of; to go up to. Obs.
| 13.. K. Alis. 4030 He a knyght of Grece slowgh..And joined him us among. 1382 Wyclif Acts viii. 29 Come to, and ioyne thee to this chare. a 1400–50 Alexander 1284 He..Ioynes him to Iosaphat: full ioyles he rydes. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 167 Seeing these men..to flie,..and to ioine themselves with the Governors his adversaries. 1611 Bible Acts viii. 29 Then the Spirit saide vnto Philip, Goe neere, and ioyne thy selfe to this charet. [So 1881 (R.V.).] |
6. a. To link or unite (persons, etc. together, or one with or to another) in marriage, friendship, or any kind of association, alliance, or relationship; to unite, associate, ally.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7257 Normandie þoru þe king & þoru þe quene engelond Iioyned were þo kundeliche as in one monnes hond. 1340 Ayenb. 88 Þis loue and þis wylnynge þet ioyneþ and oneþ zuo þe herte to god. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 106 An ȝif þe Iustise wol Iugge hire to be Ioynet with Fals, Ȝit be-war of þe weddyng. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 65 Any waie or meane by the whiche he might reconcile and ioyne in amitee the twoo greate and mightie kynges of Englande and of Fraunce. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, We are gathered together..to ioyne together this man and this woman in holy matrimonie. 1611 Bible Matt. xix. 6 What therefore God hath joyned together, let not man put asunder. 1678 Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §96. 468/1 He was joined Emperour with his Father in his Fathers life-time. 1719 Young Revenge iv. i. Wks. 1757 II. 166 Life is the desart, life the solitude; Death joins us to the great majority. 1844 Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) II. xii. 226 With these learned foreigners, the king joined four Anglo-Saxons. |
b. refl. To unite, associate, or ally oneself (with, to); to enter into alliance.
| 1535 Coverdale Exod. i. 10 Yf there shulde ryse vp eny warre agaynst vs, they might ioyne them selues also vnto oure enemies. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. IV 8 The best felowe and companion that a man in aduersitie can associat or ioyne him self withal. 1611 Bible Luke xv. 15 He went and ioyned himselfe to a Citizen of that Countrey. 1642 Rogers Naaman 11 Prone to joyne themselves purchasers with God, in this great worke. 1882 R. L. Stevenson New Arabian Nights I. 95 You join yourselves to persons of condition..for no other purpose than to escape the consequences of your crimes. 1904 S. Weyman Abbess of Vlaye ii. 41 Had I known of what sort they were to whom I was joining myself. |
II. intr. To come or be put together in any kind of connexion physical or immaterial.
7. To come or be brought into material contact or connexion; to become connected or fastened together; to combine, unite physically.
| c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 5426 Alle the other com after tho, Ioinand bi hond to and to. 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. xvii. 51 Therfore behoueth us to Ioyne to the erthe. 1530 Palsgr. 592/2 The ryver of Tames begynneth where Tame and Yse ioyne togyther. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 29 See, see, they ioyne, embrace, and seeme to kisse. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 101 Long taild (being thicke where it joynes to the body). 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 150 Two timber-beams, joyning angle-wise under it. 1639 T. Brugis tr. Camus' Mor. Relat. 308 All he could doe, was to make the Serpents head joyne to the tayle, I meane, make the first day of the yeare touch the last without borrowing. 1665 Hooke Microgr. 6 In twisting into a thread they joyn, and lie so close together, as to lose their own, and destroy each others particular reflections. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 198 The female joins with the male, as is asserted, more humano, and once in two years feels the accesses of desire. 1828 D'Israeli Chas. I, I. iv. 90 Parallel lines can no more join together in politics than in geometry. Mod. colloq. I tried to fit the pieces together, but they wouldn't join. |
8. (Expressing the resulting condition.) To be in contact; to be contiguous or adjacent; to adjoin. † Const. to, upon, with.
| c 1325 Coer de L. 4082 Under the brygge there is a swyke, Corven clos, joynand queyntlyke. c 1350 Will. Palerne 751 Þat preui pleyng place..Ioyned wel iustly to meliors chamber. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 813 Here browes Ioyneden y-fere. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 307 Þey haveþ þrittene celles.. bote þey joyneþ al to gidres. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) vi. 22 Araby..ioynes apon Ydumee. 1480 Caxton Descr. Brit. 21 Cornewayle is in englond and ioyneth to deuenshire. 1526 Tindale Acts xviii. 7 Iustus..whose house ioyned harde to the sinagoge. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. xiii. 47 Two sides are washed by the sea, and the thyrd ioyneth vnto the firme land. 1632 Lithgow Trav. 24 Whose breadth is narrow, and where it joyneth with both seas, it is but sixty miles. 1781 S. Peters Hist. Conn. 164 The houses are..well built, but, as I have observed in general of the towns on Connecticut, do not join. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 443 It joins to the sea on the east side of the island. Mod. On the side where the two gardens join. |
9. Of non-physical contact: † a. To come close together in time; to follow or precede something else immediately. Obs. b. To come together or exist together, in operation, as associated qualities, etc.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 11882 The last Ioy of ioly men Ioynys with sorow. 1593 Queen Elizabeth tr. Boeth. ii. met. vi. 37 O grevous hap whan wicked Sword To cruel Venom Joingnes. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 53 The condition of a souldiour, and that of a merchant are not used to joyne together. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 713 Three flashes of blue Light'ning gave the sign Of Cov'nants broke, three peals of Thunder join. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 361 Where Denham's strength and Waller's sweetness join [rime line]. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. xxxvi, Tho' truths in manhood darkly join. |
10. † a. To attach oneself to, associate oneself with (= 5 b). Obs. b. Of two or more: To come together, come into company.
| a 1375 Joseph Arim. 407 Hiderward he ioynes, With sixti þousent..of clene men of Armes, And Fifti þousend fot-men. c 1400 Destr. Troy 512 His comaundment to kepe sho hir course held, and Ioynet by Iason iustly to sit. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 50 His horsmen..to ioyne with him against the rereward of Fraunce. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 255 That such as followed the kings partie..might ioine with them. 1679 Penn Addr. Prot. ii. 87 Philip joyn'd to him and askt him, If he understood what he read? 1706 Phillips, To Joyn, to..come together, to agree. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xviii. IV. 235 These orders had been given before it was known at Versailles that the Dutch and English fleets had joined. |
† 11. Astrol. To come into conjunction. Also pass. To be in conjunction. See conjunction 3.
| c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. ii. §4 And that he be nat retrograd ne combust, ne ioigned with no shrewe in the same signe. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxiii. (Percy Soc.) 161 Whan clere Diana joyned with Mercury, The crystall ayre and assured firmament Were all depured. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 460 Observe the starry Signs, Where Saturn houses, and where Hermes joins. |
12. To come together or meet in conflict; to engage in conflict, encounter. ? Obs.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 97 Oþer sum segg hym bi-soȝt of sum siker knyȝt, To Ioyne wyth hym in iusting in Ioparde to lay. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12965 Þat he might ryde with þat Orest & his ranke oste, To Ioyne with Engest for his vniust werkes. 1530 Palsgr. 593/1 Thoughe he be called never so peryllous, I dare joyne with hym. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 82 b, When both armies were ready to ioyne in battel. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. ii. 233 Looke you pray..that our Armies ioyn not in a hot day. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 289 The captaine with great dexteritie to avoide the shotte, ioyned with them towards the prooe, and boorded the gallion. 1712–14 Pope Rape Lock iii. 29 Straight the three bands prepare in arms to join. |
13. a. To enter into association or alliance, to combine in action or purpose (= 6 b).
| 13.. E.E. Allit P. B. 726 Schal þay falle in þe faute þat oþer frekez wroȝt & ioyne to her iuggement her iuise to haue? 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. Wks. 1888 I. 136 We will nocht only nocht iwne with ȝow generalie in religioun,..bot aluterlie fle ȝour cumpanie. 1581 Mulcaster Positions v. (1887) 34, I do thinke that all my countreymen will ioyne with me, and allow their children the vse, of their letter and penne. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 820 note, Negro-slaves..ioyning with the Indians, used to robbe the Spaniards. 1745 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. V. 5 Their own security will oblige them to join with the enemy. |
b. with const. To associate oneself or take part in an action, or to do something.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 39 Desyring them to ioyne with hym in disputation. 1584 Powell Lloyd's Cambria 111 The princes to ioine in their enterprise. 1672–5 T. Comber Comp. Temple (1702) 36 The People vocally joyned in the Hymns and Psalms. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 19 ¶2 He makes it his business to join in Conversation with Envious Men. 1815 Shelley Demon of World i. 218 The elements of all that human thought Can frame of lovely or sublime, did join To rear the fabric of the fane. 1896 Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 689/2 He..insisted that S. Lord..must join in the conveyance to him. |
c. also absol. to join in (the action being understood from the context).
| 1785 Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life & Writings (1832) III. 459 The government joins in and agrees to the depreciation. Mod. Some of them were singing. Presently other voices joined in. |
III. trans. To form (a resulting whole) by the combination of parts.
14. To construct or compose (a whole) by putting parts together; esp. to make (wooden furniture, etc.) in this way, as a joiner (see also joined 2). In quot. c 1400, To unite the edges of (a wound) in order to healing; in quot. c 1386, To compound (a word). Obs. exc. in phrases: see 21.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 21270 (Fairf.) Þe qu[h]elis ar ioyned with mani a dowle. c 1386 Chaucer Sec. Nun's T. 95 Cecile, as I writen fynde, Is ioyned by a manere conioynynge Of heuene and lia. a 1400–50 Alexander 4458 For iolite of Iupiter ȝe ioyen vp templis. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 34 Brynge þe parties of þe wounde togideris, þat it may be weel ioyned. 1530 Palsgr. 316/2 Joyned as a stole or any other thynge is by the joyners crafte. 1600 Shakes. A. Y. L. iii. iii. 88 This fellow wil but ioyne you together, as they ioyne Wainscot. |
IV. trans. To come into contact, contiguity, company, or union with. ellipt. for join oneself to (5 b), join to (10 a).
15. a. To come or go into local contact or association with; to go to and accompany (a person); to come to and take up one's post in (one's regiment, ship, or the like).
| 1713 Steele Englishm. No. 29. 186 A young Fellow joyns us from t'other End of the Room. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. xiv. 283 It would have been impossible..to have prevented their joining us. 1793 Nelson 26 Jan. in Nicolas Disp. (1845) I. 298, I think the Ship will be commissioned within a fortnight and I shall join her directly. 1833 Marryat P. Simple xli, I reported myself to the admiral, and joined my brig. 1838 Lytton Alice i. iii, Then she joined her mother and Mrs. Leslie at breakfast. 1838 Thirlwall Greece II. 83 Here they seem to have been joined by other fugitives and soldiers of fortune. |
b. To associate or ally oneself with, attach oneself to, take part with (a person, party, etc.); to become a member or associate of (a society, staff of workers, etc.); to take part with another or others in (an action).
to join the (great or silent) majority, to die: see majority.
| 1714 Gay Trivia iii. 70 Injur'd Tenants Joyn the Hunters' Cries. 1738 Pope Epil. Sat. ii. 41 Or, if a Court or Country's made a job, Go drench a Pick-pocket, and join the Mob. 1781 Cowper Hope 741 Rocks, groves, and streams, must join him in his praise. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 23 I..promise..to join the other bishops in all that they shall decide in conformity with the canon law. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xxiii. 164 He..asked me whether I would join him in an ascent of the Dom. 1874 Green Short Hist. v. §1. 220 The blind King of Bohemia, who had joined Philip's army. Mod. Ten new members have joined the society. How long is it since he joined your staff? Many converts have joined the church. |
c. absol. (in sense a or b).
| 1844 Lever T. Burke xxi, When do you join?—where is your regiment? 1896 Daily News 28 Dec. 6/3 An old convict was brought in whilst we were there. He had only ‘joined’ that day. Mod. Is he a member of our society? When did he join? |
d. to join up: to enlist in the army.
| 1916 ‘Boyd Cable’ Action Front 5 Just joined up to get a finger in the fighting? 1922 D. H. Lawrence England, my England 40 Egbert went and joined up immediately as a private soldier. 1934 J. T. Farrell Young Manhood i. 20 He stepped up to a beefy-faced sergeant... ‘We came to join up.’ 1943 J. B. Priestley Daylight on Saturday xxxviii. 301, I wish you'd leave here—join up or something. |
16. Of a thing: a. To become or be connected or continuous with (something else); b. to be adjacent to, to adjoin.
| 1702 Addison Dial. Medals (1727) 82 The two hands that joyn one another are Emblems of Fidelity. 1837 Sir F. Palgrave Merch. & Friar (1844) 90 The bare-worn places join one another, all the grass between them is destroyed. 1855 Tennyson Brook 48, I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. viii. 57 A rivulet..was joined by the stream whose track I had pursued. Mod. The Cherwell joins the Thames just below Oxford. His land joins mine. |
V. Phrases, from prec. senses.
† 17. to join action: To enter upon a debate or dispute. Obs.
| 1588 Greene Perimedes D iij, Perymides hearing his wife to alledge such sound reasons for Gamsters, thought to ioyne action with her in this manner. You resemble wife those subtill Lawyers, that onely alledge that clause in their euidence, which best serues for the proofe of their plea. |
18. a. to join battle (formerly also join the battle): to come together, as opposing forces, and begin a battle (cf. sense 12); to enter upon a battle, or (fig.) a contest of any kind.
| 1455 Battle of St. Albans in Paston Lett. I. 332 They joynid batayle anon; and it was done with inne di. houre. 1539 Bible (Great) 1 Sam. iv. 2 When they ioyned y⊇ battel, Israel was put to the worse. ― 1 Kings xx. 29 In the vii. daye the battayle was ioyned. 1605 Camden Rem. 190 That morning that he was to ioyne battell with Harold. 1673 Leycester Antiq. Gt. Brit. ii. ii. iv. 122 Both Armies meet near the Town of Lincoln, and being put in order, joyn Battel. 1770 Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 29/2 After the battle was joined, [he] routed his army, and took his city. 1893 R. Williams in Traill Soc. Eng. I. i. 33 When two armies were on the point of joining battle. |
† b. intr. said of the battle. Obs.
| c 1650 Earles of Chester 182 in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 280 Vpon the plaine before the towne, the battell Ioyned couragiouslye. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 108 On the rough edge of battel ere it joyn'd. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 382 Legions in the Field their Front display..Before the Battel joins. 1702 Rowe Tamerl. i. i. 396 The tumult of the Battle That hastes to joyn. |
19. to join hands (from 2): a. lit. (a) To fold or clasp one's hands together; (b) of two persons, To grasp each the hand of the other, in token of amity, or spec. of marriage; (c) of a third person (e.g. the priest officiating at marriage), To cause two persons to grasp each other's hand.
| 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 761 Eche forgave other, and ioyned their hands together, when..their hartes were farre a sunder. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, Then shal the prieste ioyne theyr ryght handes together, and say: Those whome god hath ioyned together: let no man put a sundre. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 532 If thou be pleas'd withall, Command thy sonne and daughter to ioyne hands. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 532 His hands ioyned in a praying gesture. 1817 Coleridge Sibyl. Leaves, Three Graves, When the Vicar joined their hands. a 1835 Mrs. Hemans Tubal Cain 50 And men..In friendship joined their hands. 1861 J. Edmond Children's Church at Home iv. 60 The bridegroom and bride joined hands. |
b. fig. (j. hands, j. hand in hand): To associate, to combine in some action or enterprise; to enter into alliance for some particular end.
| 1598 Florio Ital. Dict. Ep. Ded. 1 May it please your Honors to ioyne hand in hand. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks 626 Most part of Graecia..readie to have rebelled and ioyned hands with the Christians. 1713 S. Pycroft Brief Enq. Free-think. 35 The former argue..The latter urge..So that one wou'd think they had join'd Hands. 1886 Mrs. E. Lynn Linton P. Carew. xx, A banker..who joins hands with the lawyer in his ruin of thousands. |
20. to join issue († join in issue): see issue n. 13. Also elliptically to join.
| 1632 Massinger City Madam iii. ii, There Sir I joyn with you. A due decorum must be kept, the Court Distinguished from the City. |
21. With various objects, expressing the result or the nature of the joining: as to join † affinity, join company, join concert, † join encounter, † join unity, etc.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 13831 The coniunctoun vniust is Ioynit vs betwene. 1593 Tell-Troth's N.Y. Gift 8 To joyne unity with the whole world. 1611 Bible 2 Chron. xviii. 1 Iehoshaphat..ioyned affinitie with Ahab. 1632 Lithgow Trav. viii. 364 Who intending to visit Fez, joyned company with me. 1738 Wesley Ps. civ. iv. x, 'Till with my Song the list'ning World Join Concert. 1859 Reeve Brittany 235 At St. Malo, we joined company, quite accidentally. |
22. to join the ladies: to go into the room to which the ladies have retired after dinner.
| 1848 Punch XIV. 204/1 (caption) Walter, I think you had better join the ladies. 1921 J. M. Barrie (title) Shall we join the ladies? 1956 N. Marsh Off with his Head (1957) x. 212 ‘Join the ladies?’ Dr. Otterley suggested, and they did so. 1974 N. Freeling Dressing of Diamond 95 And that, thought Richard grinning, will be denounced as ‘sexual fascism’... And shall we now join the ladies? |
23. if you can't beat them, join them: a semi-proverbial assertion applied to a situation where a person crosses to another side or party because he is unable to defeat them by opposition alone.
| 1955 [see epistemological a.]. 1970 Times 26 Nov. 12/3 Gale will also be applying for a ticket to the Parliamentary lobby for himself: ‘If you can't beat them, join them.’ |
▪ III. † join, v.2 Obs.
[Aphetic for ajoyne (adjoin v. ¶ ), for enjoin.]
1. trans. To enjoin or impose (penance, a task, etc.) upon a person. Const. to (the person), or with simple dative. = enjoin 2.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 11782 Blelyche in penaunce for to do Alle þat he ioyneþ þe vnto. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 291. c 1440 Jacob's Well 112 Þat makyth a man noȝt gladly to do penaunce þat þe preest ioyneth hym. 1528 Tindale Obed. Chr. Man Wks. (1573) 155 They ioyne them penaunce, as they call it. |
2. To enjoin or charge (a person) to (the task), or with inf. or subord. clause; rarely with complement (quot. c 1400). = enjoin 2 c, e.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 877 Who Ioyned þe be Iostyse our iapez to blame. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2355 First, I ioigne the, here in penaunce,—That..Thou set thy thought in thy loving To last withouten repenting. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 52 And they that dede the dede were ioyned to penaunce. 1563 Lord J. Gray in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. II. 273, I wolde I were the Queenes Confessor this Lent, that I might joine her in pennaunce to forgeve and forget. 1563 Homilies ii. On Rogat. Week iii, Remember..your duetie of thankes... Stil ioyne your selfe to continue in thankes geuinge. |
Hence † joined ppl. a.
| c 1475 Partenay 5145 To go and do ioyned pennaunce. |