joy stick
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The control column of an aeroplane or glider, which is linked to the elevators and ailerons to control them.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “joy stick” mean?
The control column of an aeroplane or glider, which is linked to the elevators and ailerons to control them.
Is “joy stick” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.