join (redirected from joined)

(Would you) care to join us?

Do you want to join us? Tom and Mary saw Fred and Sally sitting at another table in the restaurant. Tom went over to them and said, "Would you care to join us?" Mary: Isn't that Bill and Sue over there? John: Yes, it is. Shall I ask them to join us? Mary: Why not? John (after reaching the other table): Hi, you guys! Care to join us? Bill: Love to, but Sue's mom is going to be along any minute. Thanks anyway.

See also: care

Could I join you? and (Do you) care if I join you?; (Do you) mind if I join you?

Will you permit me to sit with you? (An inquiry seeking permission to sit at someone's table or join someone else in some activity. Also used with can or may in place of could.) Tom came into the cafe and saw Fred and Sally sitting in a booth by the window. Coming up to them, Tom said, "Could I join you?"

See also: could

If you can't beat them, join them. and If you can't lick 'em, join 'em.

Prov. If you have to give up fighting some group because you can't win, band together with them. (The version with lick is informal.) Jill: I just got a kitten. Jane: I can't believe it! You used to hatepeople who owned cats. Jill: If you can't beat them, join them. Alan: I hear you're a Republican now. Fred: Yeah, I figured, if you can't lick 'em, join 'em.

See also: beat, if, them

join (someone) with (someone else) and join (something) with (something else)

to connect things or people. I joined Fred with the others. We joined the older puppies with the full-grown dogs.

join (something and something else) together

to connect or unite things. We joined the pipe and the hose together. He joined together all the blue wires and the red ones.

See also: together

join (something) to (something else)

to connect something to something else. We joined our club to the other club. We joined our chorus to the other chorus, making a huge singing group.

join (up) with someone or something

to bring oneself into association with someone or something. I decided to join up with the other group. Our group joined with another similar group.

join forces (with someone)

Fig. to combine one's efforts with someone else's efforts. The older boys joined forces with the younger ones to sing the school song. Let's join forces with the other faction and run our own slate of candidates.

See also: force

join hands

[for people] to hold hands so that each person is holding the hands of two other people; [for two people] to hold each other's hands. Let us join hands and pray together. The dancers joined hands and formed a circle that moved to the left.

See also: hand

join in (with something)

to participate in doing something. The older boys joined in with the singing. I'm glad they joined in. We needed basses.

join in (with something)

to participate in doing something. The older boys joined in with the singing. I'm glad they joined in. We needed basses.

Join the club!

Inf. an expression indicating that the person spoken to is in the same, or a similar, unfortunate state as the speaker. You don't have anyplace to stay? Join the club! Neither do we. Did you get fired too? Join the club!

join the fray and jump into the fray; enter the fray

Fig. to join the fight or argument. After listening to the argument, Mary decided to jump into the fray. Tom joined the fray and immediately got knocked down.

See also: fray

join up

to join some organization. The club has opened its membership rolls again. Are you going to join up? I can't afford to join up.

See also: up

joined at the hip

Sl. closely connected; always together. Those two are joined at the hip. They are always together. Sam and Martha are joined at the hip.

See also: hip

with (one's) eyes (wide) open

Fig. totally aware of what is going on. I went into this with my eyes open. We all started with eyes open but didn't realize what could happen to us.

See also: eye, open

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be joined at the hip

if you say that two people are joined at the hip, you mean that they are very friendly with each other and spend more time together than is usual I can go to London without Mike. We're not joined at the hip, you know.

See also: hip

enter/join the fray

to become involved in an argument or a fight Members of the royal family rarely enter the political fray.

See also: enter, fray

Join the club!  (British, American & Australian) also Welcome to the club! (American & Australian)

something that you say to someone who has just told you about an experience or problem that they have had in order to show that you have had the same experience or problem too 'I can't stop eating chocolate.' 'Join the club!' 'We can't afford a vacation this year.' 'Welcome to the club!'

join the ranks of something

to become part of a large group Thousands of young people join the ranks of the unemployed each summer when they leave school.

See Join the club!, enter the fray

See also: rank

with your eyes open

knowing about all the problems there could be with something that you want to do 'You want to get married? But you're only 18!' 'I'm doing this with my eyes open, so don't worry about me.' It was difficult to succeed in the acting profession but I went into it with my eyes open.

See Close your eyes and think of England, couldn't believe eyes, cry eyes out, feast eyes on, hit between the eyes, keep eyes peeled, open eyes to, be up to ears in

See also: eye, open

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enter the fray also join the fray

to become involved in a very competitive situation Cable TV companies have entered the fray, using their high-speed lines to provide Internet access.

See also: enter, fray

join hands (with somebody)

to unite with other people or groups Many people are ready to join hands to improve health care around the world.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of join hands (to hold the hand of the person next to you, connecting all of the people in a group)

See also: hand

join in

to take part with others in an activity We play touch football on Saturdays if the weather is good, so bring sneakers with you and join in.

join the ranks of something

to become part of a larger group or organization Their country will join the ranks of the most developed nations of the world in four or five years.

See also: rank

join up

to become a member of the military Levy joined up in World War II, received his citizenship and ended up a corporal in the combat engineers.

See also: up

joined at the hip

1. very closely connected The two companies have been joined at the hip since their founders went camping together a hundred years ago.

2. together The new law would keep unhappy couples joined at the hip for the sake of their children.

See also: hip

with your eyes (wide) open

understanding the true character of someone or something I knew Bill for a long time, and I went into this relationship with my eyes wide open.

See also: eye, open