noun
Common
jones
johnz
Jones (noun) means slang for heroin. Example: “He was arrested with a small bag of jones on him.”
noun
1
Slang for heroin.
"He was arrested with a small bag of jones on him."
2
An addiction or a strong, nagging craving for something.
"She had a real jones for chocolate every afternoon."
"His jones for cigarettes kicked in the moment he sat down."
"After a week without games, he had a serious jones for his console."
verb
1
To crave something intensely.
"I was jonesing for a coffee by ten in the morning."
"He started jonesing for a cigarette the second he quit."
"She was jonesing for some pizza after the long hike."
How to use jones
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA strong craving or addiction, or the act of craving something badly — used loosely today for anything from drugs to junk food.
When to use it
Informal American slang; rare outside casual speech.
Common pairings
jonesing for something
a bad jones
kick the jones
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Word forms
- Plural
- joneses
- Third person singular
- joneses
- Past tense
- jonesed
Fill the gap
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He was arrested with a small bag of _____ on him.
Etymology
American slang traced by some writers to heroin addicts who used to gather on Great Jones Alley in New York City; others think the addiction sense simply grew out of the surname Jones being used as a generic stand-in.
Related words
Rhymes for jones
See all rhymes for jones →Frequently asked questions
What does “jones” mean?
The word “jones” means slang for heroin. In plain terms, a strong craving or addiction, or the act of craving something badly — used loosely today for anything from drugs to junk food.
How do you pronounce “jones”?
“Jones” is pronounced johnz (/d͡ʒoʊnz/ in IPA).
How do you use “jones” in a sentence?
Here is “jones” used in a sentence: “He was arrested with a small bag of jones on him.”
What part of speech is “jones”?
Depending on how it is used, “jones” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “jones” a common word?
“Jones” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “jones” have?
“Jones” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: slang for heroin.
What does 'jones' mean as slang?
As a noun, 'jones' is old street slang for heroin. The same word gave rise to the broader senses 'a jones', meaning an intense craving, and the verb 'jonesing', meaning to crave something badly. The drug sense is dated, but the craving senses remain common in casual speech.
Does 'jones' also mean a craving?
Yes. The term began in drug slang but has widened, so 'having a jones for' something and 'jonesing for' it now describe any strong craving — for coffee, attention, or a day off. In modern everyday use, the craving sense is far more common than the original drug meaning.
Is 'jones' related to the name Jones?
Only by coincidence of spelling. This slang sense is unrelated to the common surname Jones or to the phrase 'keeping up with the Joneses', which is about matching your neighbors' lifestyle. The slang word is written the same way but has its own separate history.
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