joint-stock company
    n 1: a company (usually unincorporated) which has the capital of
         its members pooled in a common fund; transferable shares
         represent ownership interest; shareholders are legally
         liable for all debts of the company

Joint \Joint\ (joint), a. [F., p. p. of joindre. See Join.]
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   1. Joined; united; combined; concerted; as, joint action.
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   2. Involving the united activity of two or more; done or
      produced by two or more working together.
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            I read this joint effusion twice over. --T. Hook.
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   3. United, joined, or sharing with another or with others;
      not solitary in interest or action; holding in common with
      an associate, or with associates; acting together; as,
      joint heir; joint creditor; a joint bank account; joint
      debtor, etc. "Joint tenants of the world." --Donne.
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   4. Shared by, or affecting two or more; held in common; as,
      joint property; a joint bond.
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            A joint burden laid upon us all.      --Shak.
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   Joint committee (Parliamentary Practice), a committee
      composed of members of the two houses of a legislative
      body, for the appointment of which concurrent resolutions
      of the two houses are necessary. --Cushing.

   Joint meeting, or Joint session, the meeting or session
      of two distinct bodies as one; as, a joint meeting of
      committees representing different corporations; a joint
      session of both branches of a State legislature to chose a
      United States senator. "Such joint meeting shall not be
      dissolved until the electoral votes are all counted and
      the result declared." --Joint Rules of Congress, U. S.

   Joint resolution (Parliamentary Practice), a resolution
      adopted concurrently by the two branches of a legislative
      body. "By the constitution of the United States and the
      rules of the two houses, no absolute distinction is made
      between bills and joint resolutions." --Barclay (Digest).

   Joint rule (Parliamentary Practice), a rule of proceeding
      adopted by the concurrent action of both branches of a
      legislative assembly. "Resolved, by the House of
      Representatives (the Senate concurring), that the
      sixteenth and seventeenth joint rules be suspended for the
      remainder of the session." --Journal H. of R., U. S.

   Joint and several (Law), a phrase signifying that the debt,
      credit, obligation, etc., to which it is applied is held
      in such a way that the parties in interest are engaged
      both together and individually thus a joint and several
      debt is one for which all the debtors may be sued together
      or either of them individually; used especially in the
      phrase joint and several liability.

   Joint stock, stock held in company.

   Joint-stock company (Law), a species of partnership,
      consisting generally of a large number of members, having
      a capital divided, or agreed to be divided, into shares,
      the shares owned by any member being usually transferable
      without the consent of the rest.

   Joint tenancy (Law), a tenure by two or more persons of
      estate by unity of interest, title, time, and possession,
      under which the survivor takes the whole. --Blackstone.

   Joint tenant (Law), one who holds an estate by joint
      tenancy. Contrassted with tenant in common.
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