I know that its drug related, but does “I was Jonesin’” mean anything besides “I was stoned out of my gourd”?
Actually, I’ve never heard it used that way. The way I’ve always heard it used is to mean you want something really bad, like “I’m jonesin’ for a joint”, but it doesn’t even have to be drug related, it could be “I’m jonesin’ for a Big Mac”.
I’ve always assumed it derived from the old saying of the need to “keep up with the Jones” (I need to keep up with the Jones–I’m jonesin’!) but I don’t know that for a fact.
I’m not up to date, but historically a "jones’ was a habit, i.e., “I’ve got a basketball jones.” Or a crank jones. Roughly equivalent to saying “I’ve got a monkey on my back.”
So the verb form, “jonesing,” would be to be experiencing the need, and poossibly doing what’s necessary, to satisfy that (drug) habit.
Manny years later it will present in your syntax and typing skills.
Definitely had nothing to do with “keeping up with the Jones.”
Dave Wilton says origin unknown but early 60’s black English.
Almost certainly from drug users in the 50’s, if not earlier.
It was spoken after the fact by a friend in the hospital who, craving a cigarette under the influence of industrial strength pain killers tried to light a non-existant smoke.
Thanks, Beatle.
As I understand it, the term derives from the name of a Jones Park (in NYC?) frequented by drug dealers.
Regardless of its origin it does seem pretty certain that it is drug slang, although it can be used to express a strong desire for almost anything. For instance, I’ve heard surfers say that they were “jonesin’ for a wave”. On one occasion I myself admitted that I was “jonesin’ for some Lucky Charms”.