# restroom/toilet/bathroom/loo



## roniy

How would you rather say in informal conversation ? restroom/toilet?

For example:

"Where is your restroom?"

"Where is your toilet?"

Which one is more common ??

And it's correct to say :
"Where is your bathroom ?"

When I need to use the toilet ?

Thanks.


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## SweetSoulSister

I would say either, "bathroom" or "restroom"

In AE, they both mean the toilet.  But most people do not say "toilet" in America.  We say bathroom or restroom, even in informal situations.


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## Victoria32

roniy said:


> How would you rather say in informal conversation ? restroom/toilet?
> 
> For example:
> 
> "Where is your restroom?"
> 
> "Where is your toilet?"
> 
> Which one is more common ??
> 
> And it's correct to say :
> "Where is your bathroom ?"
> 
> When I need to use the toilet ?
> 
> Thanks.


I just ask "Could I use your loo?" but that's very BE and would not be understood where you are. We would not have said 'bathroom' or 'restroom' here a few years back, but that is being used here now, because NZ is using more and more AE these days.


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## SweetSoulSister

Sorry 'bout that Victoria :-(

Yes, "loo" is popular in BE, but many Americans have never heard this word.


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## gaer

Victoria32 said:


> I just ask "Could I use your loo?" but that's very BE and would not be understood where you are. We would not have said 'bathroom' or 'restroom' here a few years back, but that is being used here now, because NZ is using more and more AE these days.


There is a definite difference between BE and AE here. JK Rowling refered to "the boys' toilet" in one of her books, and it was changed to "bathroom" in either the American edition (in which many words were changed) or in the movies.


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## Victoria32

gaer said:


> There is a definite difference between BE and AE here. JK Rowling refered to "the boys' toilet" in one of her books, and it was changed to "bathroom" in either the American edition (in which many words were changed) or in the movies.


I noticed that in the movies! It seemed odd to me... but as we switch to AE (and have since the 1940s, I think...) I have got used to it... 

I had the to me, funny experience of being at an employment agency once last year, and asking the young receptionist (very softly) "Could you tell me where is the loo, please?" and asking "toilet" when she looked surprised (which she shouldn't really have been, she wasn't _that_ young!) and then I saw "the penny drop"... and she said, far too loudly given the crowded waiting room "Oh! You mean the bathroom!" 
(I nearly said "Oh, no, I have alreday showered today, thank you.") 

(Thank you, SweetSoulSister...  )


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## gaer

Victoria32 said:


> I noticed that in the movies! It seemed odd to me... but as we switch to AE (and have since the 1940s, I think...) I have got used to it...
> 
> I had the to me, funny experience of being at an employment agency once last year, and asking the young receptionist (very softly) "Could you tell me where is the loo, please?" and asking "toilet" when she looked surprised (which she shouldn't really have been, she wasn't _that_ young!) and then I saw "the penny drop"... and she said, far too loudly given the crowded waiting room "Oh! You mean the bathroom!"
> (I nearly said "Oh, no, I have alreday showered today, thank you.")
> 
> (Thank you, SweetSoulSister...  )


There were also plenty of instances of "bloody hell" in the movies, NEVER used by Rowling in that way.

The first book of the Potter series had many changes. It was feared that and American audience would have trouble with some BE words or phrases. In later books, when Rowling had more freedom, that became much less common.

As for the person who made a big fuss about your use of "toilet", it seems to me that you had to deal with a rude idiot!


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## roniy

I see the distinction.....

Thanks


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## Victoria32

gaer said:


> There were also plenty of instances of "bloody hell" in the movies, NEVER used by Rowling in that way.
> 
> The first book of the Potter series had many changes. It was feared that and American audience would have trouble with some BE words or phrases. In later books, when Rowling had more freedom, that became much less common.
> 
> As for the person who made a big fuss about your use of "toilet", it seems to me that you had to deal with a rude idiot!



She made a big deal out of it! That was the embarassing thing - correcting me to bathroom... Good grief! 

The most notable Potter book change was the name - _Philosopher's Stone_ being changed to Sorcerer's.. 

I am very surprised that the publishers assumed American kids wouldn't know what British ones would know!


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## maxiogee

I ask for the toilet, in a private house - or for the Gents in a commercial/public building.
I don't need a rest and I don't want a bath - why should I seek rooms in which to do either?


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## panjandrum

Somewhere in this thread
*"restroom", "washroom" and "bathroom" *
you will find a very long list of alternatives


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## clairanne

Hi
The Queen would say " lavatory"   but us lesser mortals tend to say "loo" over here.  It was however referred to as the "bog" when I was at school.


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## Celador

Or 'bog', 'cludgie', 'pisser, 'shitter' is descending order of public acceptability.

When Americans ask for the 'bathroom' in Britiain it is usually considered quite funny - a bathroom has a a bathtub in it. Why a restaurant guest, for example, would wish to take a bath halfway through a meal...


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## LouisaB

clairanne said:


> Hi
> The Queen would say " lavatory" but us lesser mortals tend to say "loo" over here. It was however referred to as the "bog" when I was at school.


 
I rather suspect the Queen would say 'loo' too. Lesser royalty certainly does. 

Royalty are not supposed to be ever put into a position where they have to ask for the loo/lavatory/restroom/bathroom _at all. _The correct procedure is for the equerry to ask them at discreet intervals 'Would Your Majesty/Highness/Grace etc like *to retire*?'. But on one wonderful occasion, when we were all trailing round after the Duke of Gloucester on a public school visit, the Duke finally snapped after being asked about 12 times in half an hour if he 'wished to retire', and told the equerry (within clear and ecstatic hearing of about eight of the teachers) 'When I want the bloody loo, I'll tell you'.

We must ask LRV.


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## Celador

Reminds me of the time the Pope said to the Queen, 'May piss be on you,' meaning _peace_, to which she replied, 'And may piss be on you too'... meaning _urine_.


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## gaer

Victoria32 said:


> The most notable Potter book change was the name - _Philosopher's Stone_ being changed to Sorcerer's.


Yes. That was before JKR got "clout". 


> She made a big deal out of it! That was the embarassing thing - correcting me to bathroom... Good grief!


The problem is that in the US we really don't have any other word to use. "Toilet" is considered impolite. To me this seems absurd, since that is what you are asking to use. 

Can you imagine asking a friend, "May I please use your bathroom?" and then taking a bath!

"Restroom" is equally bizarre. There are some old-fashioned "facilities" that actually do have a couch, although not in the "room" itself, but it sounds as though it is someplace you would go for a nap.

"Loo" seems to me like a nice compromise. I have seldom heard it in the US, but I think you would have to be incredibly isolated not to know what it means.

I've always liked "WC"!

Gaer


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## johnny trampas

For me '*toilet*' is a bit graphic and i feel as if eyes will watch my every move(ment) and i become self-conscience. In society '*loo*' is very acceptable. If i'm in a bar I'll ask for *'the jax'* if the barman is young. If it's a buxsom lassy, i would refer to the '*Gents*' and definitely leave the *'restroom'* out of my vocabulary for it is not a rest that i am after. The cruder terms are unappealing!! They leave me quite flushed!!


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## Victoria32

clairanne said:


> Hi
> The Queen would say " lavatory"   but us lesser mortals tend to say "loo" over here.  It was however referred to as the "bog" when I was at school.


That was the term we used at home when we were kids - my Mum would put 'bog roll' or "**se fodder" on the shopping list. (Well, she didn't put the latter but I have been known to)


gaer said:


> Yes. That was before JKR got "clout".
> 
> The problem is that in the US we really don't have any other word to use. "Toilet" is considered impolite. To me this seems absurd, since that is what you are asking to use.
> 
> Can you imagine asking a friend, "May I please use your bathroom?" and then taking a bath!
> 
> "Restroom" is equally bizarre. There are some old-fashioned "facilities" that actually do have a couch, although not in the "room" itself, but it sounds as though it is someplace you would go for a nap.
> 
> "Loo" seems to me like a nice compromise. I have seldom heard it in the US, but I think you would have to be incredibly isolated not to know what it means.
> 
> I've always liked "WC"!
> 
> Gaer


There is a story about Winston Churchill watching a ship being salvaged. The first thing to come up was the loo door with the initials WC on it. Churchill turned to someone and said "How thoughtful! The first thing they salvaged has my initials on it!"


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## gaer

Victoria32 said:


> There is a story about Winston Churchill watching a ship being salvaged. The first thing to come up was the loo door with the initials WC on it. Churchill turned to someone and said "How thoughtful! The first thing they salvaged has my initials on it!"


That's priceless. 

Do you know if the word "Loo" is ever actually put on a door to a restroom/WC/loo/bathroom?


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## Hockey13

In very colloquial, even childish perhaps, speech, "going to the bathroom" can also mean that you are in the process urinating or defecating in the toilet. I remember often having this conversation when I was young:

My brother: What are you doing in there?!?!
Me: I'm going to the bathroom!

Obviously I was already in the bathroom, but I meant that I was on the toilet.


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## gaer

Hockey13 said:


> In very colloquial, even childish perhaps, speech, "going to the bathroom" can also mean that you are in the process urinating or defecating in the toilet. I remember often having this conversation when I was young:
> 
> My brother: What are you doing in there?!?!
> Me: I'm going to the bathroom!
> 
> Obviously I was already in the bathroom, but I meant that I was on the toilet.


I might say the same thing today:

- What are you doing in there?
- For God's sake, I'm going to the bathroom. What else would I be doing in here?

It's one of those things we say without thinking, but now that I think about out it, it seems absolutely ridiculous!


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## LouisaB

johnny trampas said:


> If i'm in a bar I'll ask for *'the jax'* if the barman is young.


 
That's fascinating. Why only if the barman's young? This is the oldest word anyone's mentioned yet - the 'jakes' pre-dates Shakespeare, and I had no idea it had survived anywhere!


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## Hockey13

gaer said:


> I might say the same thing today:
> 
> - What are you doing in there?
> - For God's sake, I'm going to the bathroom. What else would I be doing in here?
> 
> It's one of those things we say without thinking, but now that I think about out it, it seems absolutely ridiculous!


 
I still say it too, but to avoid the ire of the "I don't know...CAN you??" crowd, I try to use some other euphamism of taking a piss/crap.


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## gaer

Hockey13 said:


> I still say it too, but to avoid the ire of the "I don't know...CAN you??" crowd, I try to use some other euphamism of taking a piss/crap.


Exactly. There really isn't much in between, is there?


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## Victoria32

gaer said:


> That's priceless.
> 
> Do you know if the word "Loo" is ever actually put on a door to a restroom/WC/loo/bathroom?


Usually now, we have silhouettes, for non-English speakers, I assume, though apparently pubs (I don't frequent them now) have 'cutesy' terms, Guys and Dolls, etc, which I believe is an old musical... 

I like Damen und Herren, or just - hey I like the idea of reviving 'jakes'! (Irrelevant aside, I once had a boyfriend nicknamed Jake by my mother, who was a nickname fanatic and would impose them on people. 'Jake' hated that name but Mum said his real name was too boring...)


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## gaer

Victoria32 said:


> Usually now, we have silhouettes, for non-English speakers, I assume, though apparently pubs (I don't frequent them now) have 'cutesy' terms, Guys and Dolls, etc, which I believe is an old musical...


"Guys and Dolls" is a musical, yes. We also have symbols for men/boys and women/girls, but generally there is a sign saying "restrooms" that indicates where the separate rooms are located, especially in any large place (mall, airport, ect.)

I think that "ladies" is often used.


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## Victoria32

gaer said:


> "Guys and Dolls" is a musical, yes. We also have symbols for men/boys and women/girls, but generally there is a sign saying "restrooms" that indicates where the separate rooms are located, especially in any large place (mall, airport, ect.)
> 
> I think that "ladies" is often used.



Which reminds me that my grandmother always said "The definition of agony is standing outside a toilet with a bent penny". That comes from th days when public 'conveniences' had a little slot on the door, and you had to insert a penny to get in - hence another euphemism... "I want to spend a penny"... 

VL


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## mjscott

Hockey13 said:


> I still say it too, but to avoid the ire of the "I don't know...CAN you??" crowd, I try to use some other euphamism of taking a piss/crap.


 
Speaking of CAN you--

In a lot of WWII movies, the bathroom (no matter how ridiculous it sounds, that's what it's called--even if it doesn't have a bathtub in it) was called _the can _by military people.

Where's the _can?_
I need to use the _can!_

In homes they are called bathrooms, in public places they are called restrooms in the Pacific NW. Also, as said before, if you are urinating or defecating, you are "going to the bathroom." I think the previous post that most Americans wouldn't know what a _loo_ is, is pretty accurate. I like gaer's WC--water closet--though it is not often used, either.


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## invictaspirit

Whaizhya bog?


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## roxcyn

Okay, these would be informal (maybe a little too informal):

I need to take a leak, where's the john?
I need to piss, where's the john?


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## Victoria32

roxcyn said:


> Okay, these would be informal (maybe a little too informal):
> 
> I need to take a leak, where's the john?
> I need to piss, where's the john?


Yes, very informal! (When visiting friends, yes, you can use them).

I need to "take a slash/wet my boots/see a man about a dog" are ones men here use.


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## Porteño

While on the subject of loos, forum participants might find this site interesting regarding the possible origins of the word.
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-loo1.htm


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## soakupthesun

in NZ we would say...

"can i use your loo?"
or... "where is your toliet?

In nz restroom is very formal


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## Victoria32

soakupthesun said:


> in NZ we would say...
> 
> "can i use your loo?"
> or... "where is your toliet?
> 
> In nz restroom is very formal


As I have said below, soakupthesun, it's also very new! (Restroom). I am ssuming you're quite young - maybe you don't remember that 10 years ago, here we didn't sday restroom/bathroom?


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## gabbalannah

roniy said:


> How would you rather say in informal conversation ? restroom/toilet?
> 
> For example:
> 
> "Where is your restroom?"
> 
> "Where is your toilet?"
> 
> Which one is more common ??
> 
> And it's correct to say :
> "Where is your bathroom ?"
> 
> When I need to use the toilet ?
> 
> Thanks.


The most commonly used term if you will would be where is your restroom, and ya it's correct to say where is your bathroom!
lol Gab


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## George French

gaer said:


> That's priceless.
> 
> Do you know if the word "Loo" is ever actually put on a door to a restroom/WC/loo/bathroom?



Oh yes, The Loo, maybe not the best example... There are many sites that sell Loo notices...

GF..


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## Brioche

mjscott said:


> if you are urinating or defecating, you are "going to the bathroom."



And it doesn't have to be in the bathroom.
You will hear people say "Look daddy, that big dog is going to the bathroom on the front lawn".


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## gandolfo

Surprised no one's mentioned the "lav" "lavy*" short for lavatory then again I may have missed it 


*not sure on the spelling could be lavie any suggestions?

Did anyone mention "little girl's room" or "little boy's room" as euphemisms for toilet?


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## Santanawinds

Brioche said:


> And it doesn't have to be in the bathroom.
> You will hear people say "Look daddy, that big dog is going to the bathroom on the front lawn".



yes! I used to use that expression until I came to Europe and realized how strange that sounds. What about when people are hiking in the deep dark woods, far from any civilization, far from public restrooms/bathrooms/WCs - do they 'go to the bathroom' behind a tree? In AE I would say that, but here in Europe I'd think twice and decide upon "he relieved himself behind the tree" 

QUESTION ABOUT WC: can WC be used in the US, would people know what that is?


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## JulianStuart

gandolfo said:


> Surprised no one's mentioned the "lav" "lavy*" short for lavatory then again I may have missed it
> *not sure on the spelling could be lavie any suggestions?



See post #12.
Note, however, that in the US if you ask for a lavatory, you may get directed to a "bowl or basin with running water for washing or bathing purposes; washbowl."


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## Porteño

Victoria32 said:


> Usually now, we have silhouettes, for  non-English speakers, I assume, though apparently pubs (I don't frequent  them now) have 'cutesy' terms, Guys and Dolls, etc, which I believe is  an old musical...


The one I loved most was in a pub in Cornwall where the sign on the door reads "YER TEZ" which the a sort of phonetic interpretation of how the Cornish say "here it is"! People spend quite a lot of time trying to find where the loo is and finally figure it out when they get desperate!


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## susanna76

Hi, I've looked at several threads, some of them closed now, but can't find the answer to my question. If there are two bathrooms and a smaller toilet, without a bathtub, in a house, what do you call that smaller toilet in AmE? Thank you!


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## JulianStuart

Good question!   Does the room you are asking about also have a washbasin?  I just asked my American wife about a room with only a toilet and no washbasin and she was stumped.  That's probably because a room with only a toilet (i.e. the thing you sit on) is uncommon, at least in today's construction - they almost always have both.  The room without a bath seems to be called a 1/2 bath, but only when describing the details of, for example, a house for sale.  Such a room in a home would probably still be referred to as a "bathroom" in conversation.  I'll also be interested to hear other AmE input on conversational names for 1) a room with only a toilet and 2) a room with both a toilet and washbasin but no shower or bathtub.  The latter would be called a "restroom" if you were looking for it in, say, a restaurant. In a house, you'd probably ask for the "restroom" or "bathroom" but if you want to describe the room above, you may need to explain the concept in words.


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## JustKate

I've never heard of a room with only a toilet. Houses with enormous bathrooms might have a sort of niche off the main part of the master bathroom that has the toilet in it, but it would still be part of the master bathroom. 

I would call a room with a toilet and sink either a "bathroom" (even though there's no bath) or a "half-bath," if I wanted to be precise. I think I've also heard such half-baths also called "vanity bathrooms" (with "vanity" referring to a mirror used for fixing one's hair and makeup), but not very often. I mean, a real estate agent might call it that, but I've never heard a regular, home-owning person use that term.


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## ewie

(In British English a room with just a toilet in it [and they're pretty common here] is called ......... wait for it ........ _a toilet_.
Back in the day in my family a room with a toilet and washbasin in was always given the rather charming name _cloakroom_)


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## JustKate

In the US, _toilet_ is almost exclusively used in reference to the thing you sit on rather than the room that thing is in.

I *love* _cloakroom_. I've always wished it had made the voyage from the UK to the US, but alas, it did not (at least not as far as I know).


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## susanna76

I've heard that about cloakroom but I think I'm missing something obvious here. What do cloaks, as in garments, have to do with it? Is it because you also use the (BrE) toilet to change your clothes? I'm thinking there aren't any hooks for clothes in such a half-bathroom, are there??


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## JustKate

That is a thing I've never known for sure either - I'm hoping a BE speaker can enlighten us (the Online Etymology Dictionary doesn't offer a theory). I suppose that it dates back to the days when it was considered indelicate to refer to things such as toilets in polite company, but why cloaks were chosen instead of something else is a mystery to me.


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## ewie

I must admit I've never understood why _cloak_ either

Maybe it's a misspelling of _cloaca_.

Yes, that was a 'joke'.


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## Wordsmyth

I'd say that ewie's family's use of "cloakroom" in the context of a normal private house is pretty rare (or perhaps it's 'NW Englandish' ). I believe the usage comes from the fact that in many public places such as theatres, restaurants, event venues, etc, the toilets are often situated in or next to the cloakroom. The logic would be the same as for the AmE "restroom" (even though, susanna, people don't usually sit on the toilet to take a rest!).

Ws


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## JulianStuart

My sister's house in Oxford is large and old and the smallish room just inside the front door is where they have a toilet and basin and lots of hooks for coats and they call it the cloakroom (as did the previous owners)  - cloaks, however, only appear at Hallowe'en
Wikipedia (not necessarily a good guide here) purports to debunk the cloaque/cloaca suggestion 





> The word is often thought to be derived from the French cloaque (sewer);[citation needed] however, it comes from the French cloque meaning "traveling cloak".[1]


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## Wordsmyth

Sorry, JS — along with my examples of public places I should have included "and large old private houses in Oxford".


susanna76 said:


> _[...] _What do cloaks, as in garments, have to do with it? Is it because you also use the (BrE) toilet to change your clothes? _[...] _


 Actually, in mediæval days, the toilets in castles (consisting simply of a long shaft emptying into a pit or into the moat) were called _garderobes _— because people did keep their clothes there, believing that the rising sewage fumes would keep away the clothes-moths! The word later evolved into_ wardrobe_, though no longer with the toilet function; (presumably someone had invented mothballs by then ). 

Ws


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## JulianStuart

Wordsmyth said:


> Sorry, JS — along with my examples of public places I should have included "and large old private houses in Oxford".
> Ws


Long before that "cloakroom" was on a list of fairly commonly heard euphemisms as I was growing up (and therefore might qualify as _archaic_!).


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## ewie

JulianStuart said:


> Wikipedia (not necessarily a good guide here) purports to debunk the cloaque/cloaca suggestion


_Ahem_, I'd just like to stress that my _cloaca _suggestion wasn't intended to be taken as a suggestion but as a quip

Yes, _cloakroom_ always felt pretty archaic when we were saying it


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## Grumpy Old Man

I was in a bar in Cyprus with an English friend of mine years ago. When he went to the gents', he said: _Excuse me, I'll have to go and see my solicitor. _When he returned, he said: _I just shook hands with my wife's best friend. _


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## PaulQ

Wordsmyth said:


> in mediæval days, the toilets in castles (consisting simply of a long shaft emptying into a pit or into the moat) were called _garderobes _— because people did keep their clothes there, believing that the rising sewage fumes would keep away the clothes-moths! The word later evolved into_ wardrobe_, though no longer with the toilet function; (presumably someone had invented mothballs by then ).


That’s very inventive but OED “1953   P. C. Berg _Dict. New Words_ 56/1   _Cloakroom_, euphemism for lavatory.” seems to be the earliest reference.

In some houses the toilet on the ground floor often doubles as a room for hanging up outer garments (coats. etc.), so rather than refer to the room by its primary function, its secondary is chosen.

I also recall that in the 4 schools that attended, the cloakroom (where hats and coats were hung) was next to the toilets. likewise at dance halls, the cloakroom and the toilets were closes to each other. Thus saying, “I’m going to the cloakroom.” was a plausible reason for walking in that direction.


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## susanna76

I think this idea that the cloakroom and the toilets were in close proximity makes the most sense. Thank you all so very much! It was an interesting and fun discussion


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## Wordsmyth

PaulQ said:


> That’s very inventive but OED “1953 P. C. Berg _Dict. New Words_ 56/1 _Cloakroom_, euphemism for lavatory.” seems to be the earliest reference. _[...]_


OK, but I was talking about _garderobe_, not _cloakroom_. 

Inventive? Not sure if you mean the clothes-preservation method or the story. In fact, _garderobe_ is attested from the early 14th century. It's clear, both etymologically and from recorded usage, that it meant a place where clothes were kept. It's also clear that it meant a toilet facility in a mediæval building: this meaning is given in the online Oxford Dictionary (so presumably also in the full OED), as well as in other dictionaries (Collins, Random House, ...), and it appears widely in historical and architectural publications.

The explanation involving the belief in protecting clothes from moths (or rather mites) and other invasive wildlife is often mentioned, though admittedly there's a shortage of hard proof — but there's also a shortage of any other explanation, and I've found no evidence or argument to disprove it. There must have been some reason for using the rankest, smelliest, place in the castle for clothes storage, and so far that's the only explanation I've ever seen proposed.

I suppose it could be argued that the use of _garderobe_ for the toilet was simply a euphemism, but from what I know of late Middle English culture and language that seems very unlikely. That kind of demureness wasn't a feature of the language of the time, as Chaucer's writings tend to show! 

If it is a myth, it's certainly not a recent one. This extract from William White's _Notes and Queries _(Oxford University Press, 1870) _[_expand page 88_] _recounts it as unquestioned fact.


PaulQ said:


> _[...] _I also recall that in the 4 schools that attended, the cloakroom (where hats and coats were hung) was next to the toilets. likewise at dance halls, the cloakroom and the toilets were closes to each other. _[...]_


 Yes indeed. To my ...


Wordsmyth said:


> _[...]_ in many public places such as theatres, restaurants, event venues, etc, the toilets are often situated in or next to the cloakroom. _[...]_


 ... I could have added not only Julian's sister's house, but also schools and dance halls. I can't remember how it was in all six schools I attended, but I know that in at least two of them the boys' cloakroom (real sense) and toilet cubicles were *in* the same room, while the girls' cloakroom and toilets were together in another single room.

Ws


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## Keith Bradford

If I have a guest staying overnight, I might well say: "Go through that door and *the bathroom's on the right, the loo is on the left*."  This is a polite way of saying that if you want to brush your teeth or take a bath or shower, use the room on the right; if you want to relieve yourself, use the room on the left.

_NOW_: what would an American say for my phrase in bold?  Because in spite of all the above discussion, I still don't know.  I doubt that JustKate (#44) would call them both 'bathroom' - that would be pointless.  'Half-bath' ?  Really?


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## JulianStuart

Keith, we need specifics 
1) Is there a sink in the loo in your sentence? 
2) Are you asking what an American might say showing someone around _your_ house while you were away?
3) If there is no sink in the loo*, the American would explain that anomaly (it is strange situation to them, whether the house is in the UK or the US) to the guest being shown around and would need to add "You can use the loo but you will need to go across to the bathroom to wash your hands."

After all that - if there is a sink in the loo, they might** say "There's a half-bath on the left and a bathroom without a toilet on the right"  ('cause to them, the "toilet" is the porcelain chair itself).

Edit: * I just re-read and assume the teeth brushing information indicates there is no sink in the loo.

Edit:** I am not a "native" AmE seaker, so that will probably need authentication


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## PaulQ

Keith Bradford said:


> If I have a guest staying overnight, I might well say: "Go through that door and *the bathroom's on the right, the loo is on the left*."


You have a few guests peeing in the bath then?


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## sound shift

In Ireland, one of the slang terms for this particular place is "the jacks".


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## ewie

An Irish member brought that one to the table in post #17, Mr S, though he spelt it _jax_


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## natkretep

The OED has _jakes_, but I see _jacks _in one of their quotations. Not marked as Irish though. (Apparently derived from the name _Jaques_. A little like how _john_ is used in AmE.)
1944   M. Lowry _Let._ 4 Mar. in _Sursum Corda!_ (1995) I. 439   Let's face it, he reads in the jakes.
1990   R. Doyle _Snapper_ (1992) 20   I went into the jacks there this mornin' an' Linda was sittin' in there readin' a comic.
2005   _Guardian_ 10 Jan. (G2 section) 7   A seedy airport jakes.


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## sound shift

ewie said:


> An Irish member brought that one to the table in post #17, Mr S, though he spelt it _jax_


Ah! I got no results when I searched this thread for the word "jacks".


natkretep said:


> The OED has _jakes_, but I see _jacks _in one of their quotations. Not marked as Irish though. (Apparently derived from the name _Jaques_. A little like how _john_ is used in AmE.)


Well, here's an Irish newspaper that claims that "the jacks" derives from the name Jack Power, an Irishman who is said to have invented a multi-cubicle arrangement.


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## Keith Bradford

sound shift said:


> ...Well, here's an Irish newspaper that claims that "the jacks" derives from the name Jack Power, an Irishman who is said to have invented a multi-cubicle arrangement.


 Nah, not unless he invented it before 1530, when it was first recorded.  Shakespeare plays on the pun Jakes/Jacques/Ajax in 1602-1603.


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## sound shift

Oh, I see.


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## andreaortiz

JulianStuart said:


> Good question!   Does the room you are asking about also have a washbasin?  I just asked my American wife about a room with only a toilet and no washbasin and she was stumped.  That's probably because a room with only a toilet (i.e. the thing you sit on) is uncommon, at least in today's construction - they almost always have both.  The room without a bath seems to be called a 1/2 bath, but only when describing the details of, for example, a house for sale.  Such a room in a home would probably still be referred to as a "bathroom" in conversation.  I'll also be interested to hear other AmE input on conversational names for 1) a room with only a toilet and 2) a room with both a toilet and washbasin but no shower or bathtub.  The latter would be called a "restroom" if you were looking for it in, say, a restaurant. In a house, you'd probably ask for the "restroom" or "bathroom" but if you want to describe the room above, you may need to explain the concept in words.



As far as a room with only a toilet, I've definitely used/heard "the toilet room," referring to a smaller room within a master bathroom consisting of only a toilet and maybe cabinet space above it (complete with door).

For a room with both a toilet and washbasin, I'd say "the guest bathroom." Bathrooms without a bathtub (lol), usually off the kitchen or living room, are generally considered "guest bathrooms," at least where I live, though on paper, and sometimes in everyday speech, "half-bath" is the way to go.


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## bennymix

Victoria said, That was the term we used at home when we were kids - my Mum would put 'bog roll' or "**se fodder" on the shopping list. (Well, she didn't put the latter but I have been known to) 

Obtuse Canadian: what is "**se"?


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## natkretep

Arse


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## bennymix

natkretep said:


> Arse



Thanks!   You guys have 4-letter words that we, across the pond, barely know!


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## natkretep

Related, of course, to AmE _ass. _This is because certain words went non-rhotic (the r wasn't pronounced) and then the word got respelt. Another example is _cuss _for _curse._


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## bennymix

natkretep said:


> Related, of course, to AmE _ass. _This is because certain words went non-rhotic (the r wasn't pronounced) and then the word got respelt. Another example is _cuss _for _curse._



Yes, bust, cuss, and even bass (for barse).   I just never guessed what the asterisks meant in the example.

Thanks for your help.


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## zaffy

And what is the slang word not for the place, but for the vessel, i.e., toilet in AE?

"I dumped/poured it down the toilet"  - What can I replace 'the toilet' with to use slang? Pot? Shitter? Pisshole?


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## heypresto

sound shift said:


> Pot? Shitter? Pisshole?


None of these. Where did you find them?

Try the common BE term 'loo'.

If you want to sound crude or coarse, you could say 'bog'. But I don't recommend it.


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## ewie

zaffy said:


> And what is the slang word not for the place, but for the vessel, i.e., toilet in *AE*?
> 
> "I dumped/poured it down the toilet"  - What can I replace 'the toilet' with to use slang? Pot? Shitter? Pisshole?


AE-persons like to use _can_ or _john_, apparently


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## GreenWhiteBlue

Other than as a type of wetland where one finds interesting flora, "bog" means nothing in American English.


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## zaffy

heypresto said:


> None of these. Where did you find them?


Polish-English dictionary listed them and a few others 
I typed in the Polish slang word and this is what the dictionary lists: kibel - Tłumaczenie po angielsku - Słownik polsko-angielski Diki 




heypresto said:


> Try the common BE term 'loo'.


But ' a loo' I believe is the room, I need a slang word for the vessel depicted in the picture. I want to say "I poured the soup down the (slang word for the vessel not for the room).


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## tunaafi

If you say you pour something _down the loo_, you will be referring to the thing you illustrated.


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## zaffy

tunaafi said:


> If you say you pour something _down the loo_, you will be referring to the thing you illustrated.



I see, and is the loo a slang word or just informal?


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## heypresto

I understand what you need a word for. 'Loo' is perfect. We can pour stuff down a loo, or walk into one.

_She poured it down the loo. _

It's informal, very common, and inoffensive.

Why do you want a slang word?


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## JulianStuart

Big white telephone?
Loo is a euphemism, rather than slang (like "restroom" is a euphemism) - but I think zaffy wants a "slang" (dirty, unacceptable?) word for the white thing itself.


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## zaffy

JulianStuart said:


> but I think zaffy wants a "slang" (dirty, unacceptable?) word for the white thing itself.



Exactly. Polish-English dictionary says it is a shitter or a pisshole or a shitcan.


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## heypresto

Why would you want to use such unpleasant terms? I'm certainly no prude, and am happy to use slang, but these are simply horrible words.


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## JulianStuart

zaffy said:


> Exactly. Polish-English dictionary says it is a shitter or a pisshole.


I have never heard anyone try to _specify_ the white porcelain object with such a slang term before - both those words could refer to the place where it located as easily as to the white thing itself. I feel your (  ) search may be in vain.  (In AE the word "toilet" does specify the porcelain, although it's clearly not slang, while in BE it refers to the room).  Another euphemism, this time for the porcelain is "throne" but I doubt that meets the requirement.

(I agree with heypresto: I could sort of understand adding to your passive vocabulary but why the active search?)


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## zaffy

heypresto said:


> Why would you want to use such unpleasant terms? I'm certainly no prude, and am happy to use slang, but these are simply horrible words.



Ok I get it now. I needed the word because we often say it in Polish in everyday language. If I dump or pour something down the toilet, I would simply use a slang word in Polish. But it looks like you don't in English.


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## JulianStuart

zaffy said:


> Ok I get it now. I needed the word because we often say it in Polish in everyday language. If I dump or pour something down the toilet, I would simply use a slang word in Polish. But it looks like you don't in English.


It is the specification of the white thing thatb is the issue.  Any pf the vulgar slang words can refer to either the room or the device, even crapper.




> *crap•per* _(krap*′*ər),_ n. *[Slang](vulgar) .*
> 
> Slang Terms  *a toilet.*
> Slang Terms  *a bathroom*.


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## DonnyB

zaffy said:


> Ok I get it now. I needed the word because we often say it in Polish in everyday language. If I dump or pour something down the toilet, I would simply use a slang word in Polish. But it looks like you don't in English.


I do.  I say "I've dumped/poured it down the bog".


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## JulianStuart

DonnyB said:


> I do.  I say "I've dumped/poured it down the bog".


But that word is not restricted to the white thing - it can also refer to the room where it is located, right?


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## DonnyB

JulianStuart said:


> But that word is not restricted to the white thing - it can also refer to the room where it is located, right?


Yes, that's right: we use it for either/both in BE.  The context should make it clear what specifically it refers to.


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## JulianStuart

zaffy said:


> I need a slang word for the vessel depicted in the picture. I want to say "I poured the soup down the (slang *word for the vessel not for the room*).


Alas, it seems there isn't one that refers only to the throne


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## Keith Bradford

Isn't it called, informally "the bowl"?  (I.e. the toilet bowl.)


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## JulianStuart

Keith Bradford said:


> Isn't it called, informally "the bowl"?  (I.e. the toilet bowl.)


Yes, but that's not the kind of (dirty) slang the OP was seeking  (  )


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## 2PieRad

In response to #74, I vote for _crapper _(#87). 

Short of coming up with my own alternatives, my next choice would be _shitter..._which apparently isn't a real word, judging by the squiggly red lines underneath it. 

And wouldn't _pisshole_ refer to the end of the urethra, where urine exits the body?


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## natkretep

I think the point is that English speakers don't generally feel the need to use vulgar slang for the toilet. I'm thinking of the iconic scene in _Trainspotting_.



It's supposed to be the dirtiest and most disgusting toilet, and you'd think in such a context you'd want some vulgar slang. But no, it's just 'the worst toilet in Scotland'.


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## Keith Bradford

JulianStuart said:


> Yes, but that's not the kind of (dirty) slang the OP was seeking  (  )


I know.  It's very common on this site for non-English speakers to imagine that words or usages ought to exist when they do not. They do this either by a parallel with their own native tongue, or by reference to supposed logic. It does not work.


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## WR-addict

..one of the funniest and longest of all the threads here on WR! 😂


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## kentix

I don't know about where you live but where I live people don't use the toilet as a general disposal system. We put bodily waste down the toilet in the way it was designed for. We have no need to describe it because it's doing its normal job. So I've never had that situation come up.

Added: If you had a pet goldfish that died you might simply "flush it". If forced to add something, I would say "down the toilet".


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