The words "...have a jones for..." leapt off the screen as I read an email from James today. Being still in post-FOB pre-initiated_into_the_American_way status, I had to respond inquiring about the meaning of the phrase. This is what I got:
Main Entry: jones
Pronunciation: 'jOnz
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1965
1 slang : HABIT, ADDICTION; especially : addiction to heroin
2 slang : HEROIN
3 slang : an avid desire or appetite for something : CRAVING
"There was flick a few years back called 'Love Jones'", he says. This film had the same idea too (A love jones is that burning desire to be with someone, to have something, to need someone ... it's that one thing or person that makes you complete, and puts a smile on your face).
you can also use it as a verb; i'm jonesin' for a new _____. , he continues.
"i'd say it's not in widespread use, but i like it.", he concludes. William Safire explored the origins of the phrase. My colleagues knew what I was talking about. Clearly, not as rare as made out to be. Cool. We learn something everyday.
Related: The Online [American] Slang Dictionary, a work in progress | Slang in the UK | Australian slang | SlangSite
Homonyms:The Spoken LANGuage recognition system | The SPADE LANGuage, based on a timed high level Petri net formalism (I don't understand everything that I typed just now!) used for process-modeling.
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