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 rhymes show the pronunciation (dʓəin) in 17–18th c.; this is still dialectal.]
I. trans. To put together, to unite one thing to another, in any kind of connection physical or immaterial.
1. 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. Th. 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. 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 herselfe 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. James 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. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 247 b. That they … may ioyne theyr prayers with his, that is, with God and religion.
1604. E. G[rimstone], trans. D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, 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, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. ix. 42 b. Terpandre the famous Musition, which ioined the seventh string to the quadricord.
1610. Shaks., 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. To bring or put (persons, troops, etc.) into one body or company; to unite, combine. To join forces, fig. to combine efforts.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 224 b. That he myghte ioyne the munition of hys brother … and hys owne to gether.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. 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, trans. Conestaggio, 167. Seeing these men … to flie,… and to ioine themselues with the Gouernors his aduersaries.
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. 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. Wherefore they are no more twaine, but one flesh. What therefore God hath ioyned 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. Obs.
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.
II. intr. To come or be put together in any kind of connection physical or immaterial.
7. To come or be brought into material contact or connection; 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. Shaks., 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, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 150. Two timber-beams, joyning angle-wise under it.
1639. T. Brugis, trans. 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. R. 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. Maundev. (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, trans. 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. A. 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. Q. Eliz., trans. Boeth., II. met. vi. 37. O grevous hap whan wicked Sword To cruel Venom Joingnes.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. 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 [rhyme 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, trans. Conestaggio, 255. That such as followed the kings partie, who were saide to lie in the mountaines, might ioine with them.
1679. Penn, Addr. Prot., II. 87–8. 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. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 82 b. When both armies were ready to ioyne in battel.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. ii. 233. Looke you pray … that our Armies ioyn not in a hot day.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 289. The captaine with great dexteritie to auoide the shotte, ioyned with them towards the prooe, and boorded the gallion.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 29. Straight the three bands prepare in arms to join.
13. 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. Daus, trans. 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. 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. Shaks., 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. 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, Englishman, 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. All that I can promise is, 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?
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. To join battle (formerly also 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 ye battel, Israel was put to the worse. Ibid., 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. Shaks., 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 Græcia … readie to have rebelled, and joyned hands with the Christians.
1713. S. Pycroft, Brief Enq. Free-thinking, 35. The former argue…. The latter urge…. So that one wou’d think they had join’d Hands.
1886. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Paston Carew, II. v. 101. A banker … who joins hands with the lawyer in his ruin of thousands.
20. To join issue († join in issue): see ISSUE sb. 13. Also elliptically to join.
1632. Massinger, City Madam, III. ii. (1658), 42. There Sir. I joyn with you A fit 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, company, concert, † encounter, † unity, etc.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 13831. The coniunctoun vniust is Ioynit vs betwene.
1593. Tell-Troth’s N. Y. Gift (1876), 8. To ioyne vnity with the whole world.
1611. Bible, 2 Chron. xviii. 1. Now Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and 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.
