Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 9 down vote favorite
1

I'm Jonesing for a little Ganja, mon... I'm jonesing for a little soul food, brother... Where did "I'm jonesing" come from?

share|improve this question
1  
So "keeping up with the Joneses" would mean "have a constant supply of "? – ogerard May 23 '11 at 9:05

6 Answers

up vote 8 down vote

Etymonline suggests that it rose from a use of Jones as slang for heroin:

The slang sense "intense desire, addiction" probably arose from earlier use of Jones as a synonym for "heroin," presumably from the proper name, but the connection, if any, is obscure.

share|improve this answer
2  
To supplement this great answer, there is evidence that the use of "Jones" as a slang term heroin is short for "Harry Jones", which is itself most likely derived from the similarity between the words Harry and heroin. – HaL Mar 23 '11 at 18:49
William Safire discusses the term here: nytimes.com/2003/05/11/magazine/… – The Raven Mar 23 '11 at 21:19
Green's Dictionary of Slang has "a drug addiction, especially to heroin", and the earliest reference is 1965. – Brian Hooper Mar 23 '11 at 21:51
up vote 6 down vote

The New Oxford American Dictionary has “Origin 1960’s: said to come from Jones Alley, in Manhattan, associated with drug addicts.”

Some online sources dispute the claim and attribute it to Great Jones Street.

share|improve this answer
2  
+1 for actually answering the question. – advs89 Mar 28 '11 at 19:52
up vote 0 down vote

"Basketball Jones" from Cheech & Chong's album "Los Cochinos."

share|improve this answer
Los Cochinos is from 1973, but another answer says the phrase is from the 1960s. – Hugo Jan 30 at 19:02
up vote -1 down vote

You'll find jones and jonesing in literature pertaining to prohibition times. Also relating to the followers of Rev Jones (mass suicide). So the meanings are multi-inspired and confused - as a lot of language is.

share|improve this answer
up vote -2 down vote

An irresistable craving, from the song, "Mrs. Jones" (we got a thing goin' on).

share|improve this answer
1  
Do you have any evidence to support this claim? – KitFox♦ Jan 29 at 0:49
"Me and Mrs. Jones" is from 1972 but another answer says the phrase is from the 1960s. – Hugo Jan 30 at 19:04
up vote -3 down vote

"Keeping up with the Jones" meant to constantly getting more than those around you. "Jonesing" has grown to simply express the desire for more, whether it is drugs, or an object, or a person of desire. It is the expression of that desire.

share|improve this answer

protected by RegDwighт♦ May 8 at 23:56

This question is protected to prevent "thanks!", "me too!", or spam answers by new users. To answer it, you must have earned at least 10 reputation on this site.