Hypertext Webster Gateway: "joist"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Joist \Joist\, n. [OE. giste, OF. giste, F. g[^i]te, fr. gesir
to lie, F. g['e]sir. See {Gist}.] (Arch.)
A piece of timber laid horizontally, or nearly so, to which
the planks of the floor, or the laths or furring strips of a
ceiling, are nailed; -- called, according to its position or
use, {binding joist}, {bridging joist}, {ceiling joist},
{trimming joist}, etc. See Illust. of {Double-framed floor},
under {Double}, a.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Joist \Joist\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Joisted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Joisting}.]
To fit or furnish with joists. --Johnson.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
joist
n : beam used to support floors or roofs
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