jones

IPA/dʒəʊnz/

KK[dʒˈonz]IPA/dʒoʊnz/

jonespresent simple I / you / we / they
joneses3rd person singular
jonesing-ing form
jonesedpast simple

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

to feel a powerful need for something that you are used to having or doing, so that you cannot stop thinking about getting it

Example

Minh was jonesing for a coffee after the long bus ride.

jones + for + noun phrase for desired thing

After quitting sugar, Élise still joneses for chocolate every afternoon.

Common collocations

jones for coffee
jones for a cigarette
jones for a drink
jones for attention

Synonyms

crave
neutral register; also works for food and drink in everyday speech
yearn
more formal and emotional; less specific to physical desires

Grammar Patterns

jones + for + something

Usage Note

Almost always used in informal or slang contexts. The -ing form (jonesing) is the most common inflection.

Common Mistakes

I am jonesing a pizza.

I am jonesing for a pizza.

The verb 'jones' usually takes 'for' before the thing you want.

1.nounB2

Definition

a very strong desire for something, often something you have enjoyed before and want again

Example

Christopher had a jones for spicy food that he could never quite satisfy.

have a jones for + something

Min's jones for old jazz records filled every shelf in the apartment.

Common collocations

have a jones for
get a jones for

Synonyms

craving
more widely understood and less slangy
hankering
milder than jones; suggests a passing fancy
urge
neutral register; can be mild or strong

Grammar Patterns

have a jones for + something

Usage Note

Commonly used in the pattern 'have/get a jones for + noun'. The noun is usually singular.

Common Mistakes

I have a jones of chocolate.

I have a jones for chocolate.

Use 'for', not 'of', to introduce the desired thing.

2.nounC1

Definition

a habit or addiction that is difficult to stop, especially one involving a substance or activity

Example

Lucía knew her jones for social media was cutting into her study time.

jones + for + [activity] — a compulsive habit

Brian's jones for gambling had cost him more than he could afford.

Common collocations

jones for gambling
jones for social media
jones for video games
have a jones

Synonyms

addiction
more formal and clinical; standard in medical contexts
habit
broader term; can be neutral or negative
dependency
more formal; often used for substance abuse

Grammar Patterns

have a jones

Usage Note

Distinguish from noun sense 1 (STRONG DESIRE): this sense implies compulsion and difficulty stopping, not just wanting something. Often describes unhealthy patterns.

3.nounC1

Definition

the illegal drug heroin, used especially in informal or underground speech

Example

The documentary showed how jones destroyed entire neighbourhoods in the city.

Eli had never touched jones, despite what the rumours claimed.

touched jones — slang for using heroin

Common collocations

jones on the street
touch jones
jones addiction

Synonyms

heroin
the standard term; jones is a slang synonym
smack
another slang term for heroin, more common than jones

Usage Note

Very dated slang; most contemporary speakers would use 'heroin' instead. Found in older music lyrics and crime fiction.

1.biographical name

Definition

Howard Mumford Jones (1892–1980), an American educator, literary scholar, and critic who taught at Harvard University and wrote extensively on American literature

Example

Howard Mumford Jones won the Pulitzer Prize for his work on American culture.

Pulitzer Prize winner — American literary scholar

Students at Harvard studied American literature under Professor Howard Mumford Jones.

2.biographical name

Definition

Inigo Jones (1573–1652), an English architect who introduced classical Renaissance style to England and designed the Banqueting House in London

Example

Inigo Jones designed the Banqueting House in Whitehall, London.

designed the Banqueting House — Renaissance architecture in London

The architecture of Inigo Jones shaped the look of London in the 1600s.

3.biographical name

Definition

John Paul Jones (1747–1792), an American naval officer born in Scotland who became a hero during the American Revolutionary War for leading raids on British ships

Example

John Paul Jones famously said, 'I have not yet begun to fight.'

famous quote from the American Revolutionary War

The U.S. Navy named a ship after John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War hero.

4.biographical name

Definition

Quincy Jones (1933–2024), an American composer, record producer, bandleader, and conductor who worked with Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra, winning numerous Grammy Awards

Example

Quincy Jones produced Michael Jackson's best-selling album, Thriller.

produced Thriller — best-selling album of all time

Young musicians today still study the arrangements of Quincy Jones.

Word family

jonesing
verb (present participle)B2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a strong desire for something, but they differ in tone and intensity. 'Craving' is the most direct neutral synonym — it can apply to food, substances, or experiences and is accepted in both casual and formal speech ('a craving for chocolate'). 'Urge' is broader and less specific; it can describe any impulse, from mild to overpowering ('an urge to travel'). 'Hankering' is milder and slightly old-fashioned, suggesting a gentle, persistent longing rather than an urgent need ('a hankering for the old days'). 'Yen' is the closest in register to 'jones' — informal and light, often used for non-serious desires ('a yen for sushi'). Use 'jones' when you want a slangy, emphatic tone; use 'craving' in most other situations.

craving ↗urge ↗hankering ↗yen

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

have a jones for
get a jones for
jonesing for

Prepositions

Etymology

EnglishAmerican English slang

The slang word 'jones' (meaning a strong desire or addiction) first appeared in American English in the 1960s, originally referring to a heroin addiction. The origin is uncertain: one theory links it to the common surname Jones, perhaps from the phrase 'to keep up with the Joneses' twisted into addiction slang, or from a specific person known for their habit. By the 1990s the word had broadened from the drug world to describe any strong craving.

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jones

jones — verb

1. to feel a powerful need for something that you are used to having or doing, so t

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

jones — noun

1. a very strong desire for something, often something you have enjoyed before and

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. a habit or addiction that is difficult to stop, especially one involving a subst

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. the illegal drug heroin, used especially in informal or underground speech

Usage Note

jones — idiom

Anson Jones

jones — biographical name

1. Howard Mumford Jones (1892–1980), an American educator, literary scholar, and cr

2. Inigo Jones (1573–1652), an English architect who introduced classical Renaissan

3. John Paul Jones (1747–1792), an American naval officer born in Scotland who beca

4. Quincy Jones (1933–2024), an American composer, record producer, bandleader, and

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

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