Is there a way to reference an existing CSS style from another CSS style using CSS or javascript?

Question

If I have a style defined

.style1
{
   width: 140px;
}

can I reference it from a second style?

.style2
{
   ref: .style1;
}

Or is there a way via javascript/jQuery?

--- Edit

To clarify the problem, I am trying to apply whatever style is defined for a #x and #c to .x and .c without altering the CSS as the CSS is going to have updates that are out of my control.

I used width but really the style would be something more complex with font, border and other style elements being specified.

Specifying multiple class names does work when the style is being applied to a class so I'll mark existing responses as answers, but I need to take the style being applied to an id and also apply it to a class style ... if that makes any sense.

Answer 1

There's no way to do it with CSS -- it's an oft-requested feature, but not included in the spec yet. You also can't do it directly with JS, but there's sort of a hacky workaround:

$('.style2').addClass ('style1');

Answer 2

you can achieve the same functionality by allowing elements to inherit multiple styles. ex.

<p class="style1 style2">stuff</p>

and then your css would include, for example:

.style1 {width:140px;}
.style2 {height:140px;}

edit: actually robert's answer might better approximate the method you are trying to achieve

.style1, .style2 {width: 140px;}
.style2 {height: 140px;}

<p class="style2">i will have both width and height applied</p>