Word
joists
US/ˈdʒɔɪsts/
UK/dʒˈɔɪsts/
Countable noun
Definition
n. long strong beams under a floor or over a ceiling that hold it up. You see them in houses under construction before the walls are finished.
n. parallel horizontal beams that support a floor or ceiling, transferring load to walls or larger beams.
Examples
“Workers place wooden joists under the new floor.”
“The builder checks the joists in the attic to make sure they can support the new water tank.”
“Exposed in the renovated loft, the old oak joists still bore the marks of hand tools from a century earlier.”
Examples
simple
“Workers place wooden joists under the new floor.”
contextual
“The builder checks the joists in the attic to make sure they can support the new water tank.”
complex
“Exposed in the renovated loft, the old oak joists still bore the marks of hand tools from a century earlier.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “joists” in context.
Verb
01. install joists
“Builders will install joists across the ground floor before laying the boards.”
verb + noun
02. joists creak
“At night you could hear the old joists creak as the house cooled down.”
noun + verb
03. joists span
“Original joists span the full width of the cottage without central support.”
noun + verb
04. joists support
“The thick joists support the entire weight of the floor above.”
noun + verb
05. reinforce joists
“An engineer advised us to reinforce joists before adding the heavy stone bath.”
verb + noun
06. replace joists
“We had to replace joists damaged by years of damp and woodworm.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. exposed joists
“They converted the attic into a studio, leaving the exposed joists painted white.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. ends of joists
“The ends of joists were set directly into the brick walls for stability.”
noun + prep + noun
09. gap between joists
“Insulation was pushed into every gap between joists to reduce heat loss.”
noun + prep + noun
10. expose the ceiling joists
“They decided to expose the ceiling joists to give the living room more character.”
11. hang from the joists
“Wires and pipes were left hanging from the joists during the renovation.”
12. replace the rotten joists
“The builder had to replace the rotten joists before the new kitchen could be fitted.”
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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