[ad. L. junctiōn-em, n. of action f. jungĕre to join: cf. F. jonction.]
1. The action of joining or fact of being joined; union, combination. a. physical, of material things, bodies of men, etc.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 165, ¶ 5. Upon the Junction of the French and Bavarian Armies.
1789. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), III. 92. The latter effected a junction soon after with another part of their fleet.
1840. Thirlwall, Greece, liii. VII. 27. The stream formed by the junction of the Hyphasis … with the Hesudrus.
1846. Penny Cycl., 1st Suppl. II. 669/2. Wherever … the junction of different railways renders such distinction necessary.
1898. J. T. Fowler, Durham Cathedr., 51. The junction of the Nine Altars (eastern transept) with the Norman choir has been effected in a most skilful manner.
b. of abstract things, or of persons in reference to action, interest, etc.: Association, coalition.
1783. Blair, Rhet., xlv. A very unseasonable junction of gallantry, with the high sentiments and public-spirited passions which predominate in other parts [of the play].
1792. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), III. 459. The public interest certainly called for his junction with Mr. Short.
1873. M. Arnold, Lit. & Dogma (1876), 187. The junction of a talent for abstruse reasoning with much literary inexperience.
2. The point or place at which two things join or are joined; a joint, meeting-place; spec. the place or station on a railway where lines meet and unite; often in proper names, as Clapham Junction, Didcot Junction, Carstairs Junction.
1841. Penny Cycl., XIX. 258/1. A crossing on a railway with two tracks, switches being placed at both junctions. Ibid. (1846), 1st Suppl. II. 669/1. The engine-driver of every train, on approaching the junction indicates by … a signal light in what direction he wishes to proceed.
1860. W. Collins, Wom. White, xiii. (1861), 75. Situated in a solitary sheltered spot, inland at the junction of two hills.
1876. The World, No. 116. 10. They can only book to the junction.
1899. Daily News, 14 Sept., 7/5. Worting Junction is what is known as a ‘flying junction,’ that is, the up Bournemouth line is carried on a bridge over the West of England tracks, and then trails down on the Basingstoke side.
3. (In full, junction canal, j. line, j. railway.) A canal or railway forming a connection between two other lines or with a center of commerce.
Chiefly in proper names of canals and railways (now rare), as † Lancaster and Preston Junction, † Grand Junction, Midland and South Western Junction Railway, etc., Grand Junction Canal, etc.
1796. G. M. Woodward, Eccent. Excurs. (1807), 161. Leicester has been much afflicted with the Junction Mania or Canal Madness.
1839. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 7), XIX. 17/1. On the Grand Junction railway, for 6 months, it [the ratio of revenue to profit] is 1:.48. Ibid. (1841), XXI. 782/2. These canals are the Birmingham Old Canal … and, above all, the Grand Junction.
1841. Penny Cycl., XIX. 257/1. The station of the Brandling Junction railway at Gateshead.
4. attrib. and Comb., as junction canal, line, railway (see 3); junction-box, -point, -rail, -signal, -socket; also junction-inkstand (see quot. 1851); junction-plate, ‘a break-joint plate riveted over the edges of boiler-plates, which make a butt-joint’ (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1875).
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, etc. 96. (Beer) ll, junction-pieces to connect the pipes rr with the kiln.
1851. Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 634. Junction inkstand, containing black and red ink in one vessel.
1881. Young, Every Man his own Mechanic, § 1101. Lateral drains … entering the main drain and connected with it by junction-sockets and elbow-joints.
1889. G. Findlay, Eng. Railway, 83. Junction signals are not in any case to be placed on the same post one above another.
Hence Junctional a., pertaining to a junction.
1875. O. P. Cambridge, in Encycl. Brit., II. 289/1. (Arachnida) Showing the … soldered up, junctional lines of the caput and thorax, and thoracic segments.
