Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Joint \Joint\ (joint), n. [F. joint, fr. joindre, p. p. joint.
   See {Join}.]
   1. The place or part where two things or parts are joined or
      united; the union of two or more smooth or even surfaces
      admitting of a close-fitting or junction; junction as, a
      joint between two pieces of timber; a joint in a pipe.

   2. A joining of two things or parts so as to admit of motion;
      an articulation, whether movable or not; a hinge; as, the
      knee joint; a node or joint of a stem; a ball and socket
      joint. See {Articulation}.

            A scaly gauntlet now, with joints of steel, Must
            glove this hand.                      --Shak.

            To tear thee joint by joint.          --Milton.

   3. The part or space included between two joints, knots,
      nodes, or articulations; as, a joint of cane or of a grass
      stem; a joint of the leg.

   4. Any one of the large pieces of meat, as cut into portions
      by the butcher for roasting.

   5. (Geol.) A plane of fracture, or divisional plane, of a
      rock transverse to the stratification.

   6. (Arch.) The space between the adjacent surfaces of two
      bodies joined and held together, as by means of cement,
      mortar, etc.; as, a thin joint.

   7. The means whereby the meeting surfaces of pieces in a
      structure are secured together.

   {Coursing joint} (Masonry), the mortar joint between two
      courses of bricks or stones.

   {Fish joint}, {Miter joint}, {Universal joint}, etc. See
      under {Fish}, {Miter}, etc.

   {Joint bolt}, a bolt for fastening two pieces, as of wood,
      one endwise to the other, having a nut embedded in one of
      the pieces.

   {Joint chair} (Railroad), the chair that supports the ends of
      abutting rails.

   {Joint coupling}, a universal joint for coupling shafting.
      See under {Universal}.

   {Joint hinge}, a hinge having long leaves; a strap hinge.

   {Joint splice}, a re["e]nforce at a joint, to sustain the
      parts in their true relation.

   {Joint stool}.
      (a) A stool consisting of jointed parts; a folding stool.
          --Shak.
      (b) A block for supporting the end of a piece at a joint;
          a joint chair.

   {Out of joint}, out of place; dislocated, as when the head of
      a bone slips from its socket; hence, not working well
      together; disordered. ``The time is out of joint.''
      --Shak.

Universal \U`ni*ver"sal\, a. [L. universalis: cf. F. universel,
   OF. also universal. See {Universe}.]
   1. Of or pertaining to the universe; extending to, including,
      or affecting, the whole number, quantity, or space;
      unlimited; general; all-reaching; all-pervading; as,
      universal ruin; universal good; universal benevolence or
      benefice. ``Anointed universal King.'' --Milton.

            The universal cause Acts not by partial, but by
            general laws.                         --Pope.

            This universal frame began.           --Dryden.

   Note: Universal and its derivatives are used in common
         discourse for general and its derivatives. See
         {General}.

   2. Constituting or considered as a whole; total; entire;
      whole; as, the universal world. --Shak.

            At which the universal host up dent A shout that
            tore Hell's concave.                  --Milton.

   3. (Mech.) Adapted or adaptable to all or to various uses,
      shapes, sizes, etc.; as, a universal milling machine.

   4. (Logic) Forming the whole of a genus; relatively unlimited
      in extension; affirmed or denied of the whole of a
      subject; as, a universal proposition; -- opposed to
      {particular}; e. g. (universal affirmative) All men are
      animals; (universal negative) No men are omniscient.

   {Universal chuck} (Mach.), a chuck, as for a lathe, having
      jaws which can be moved simultaneously so as to grasp
      objects of various sizes.

   {Universal church}, the whole church of God in the world; the
      catholic church. See the Note under {Catholic}, a., 1.

   {Universal coupling}. (Mach.) Same as {Universal joint},
      below.

   {Universal dial}, a dial by which the hour may be found in
      any part of the world, or under any elevation of the pole.
      

   {Universal instrument} (Astron.), a species of altitude and
      azimuth instrument, the peculiarity of which is, that the
      object end of the telescope is placed at right angles to
      the eye end, with a prism of total reflection at the
      angle, and the eye end constitutes a portion of the
      horizontal axis of the instrument, having the eyepiece at
      the pivot and in the center of the altitude circle, so
      that the eye has convenient access to both at the same
      time.

   {Universal joint} (Mach.), a contrivance used for joining two
      shafts or parts of a machine endwise, so that the one may
      give rotary motion to the other when forming an angle with
      it, or may move freely in all directions with respect to
      the other, as by means of a cross connecting the forked
      ends of the two shafts (Fig. 1). Since this joint can not
      act when the angle of the shafts is less than 140[deg], a
      double joint of the same kind is sometimes used for giving
      rotary motion at angles less than 140[deg] (Fig. 2).

   {Universal umbel} (Bot.), a primary or general umbel; the
      first or largest set of rays in a compound umbel; --
      opposed to partial umbel. A universal involucre is not
      unfrequently placed at the foot of a universal umbel.

   Syn: General; all; whole; total. See {General}.

Source : WordNet®

universal joint
     n : coupling that connects two rotating shafts allowing freedom
         of movement in all directions; "in motor vehicles a
         universal joint allows the driveshaft to move up and down
         as the vehicle passes over bumps" [syn: {universal}]