Jakes - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Jakes is an old-fashioned term for an outdoor toilet or privy, commonly used in historical contexts. It refers to a simple, often unsanitary, facility for human waste disposal.
Definition:
An old-fashioned term for an outdoor toilet or privy.
Synonyms:
privy, latrine, outhouse
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
bathroom, restroom
Common Collocations:
old jakes, wooden jakes, backyard jakes
Derivatives:
jakesman (rare), jakes-house (archaic)
Usage Tips:
Use "jakes" in historical contexts or informal speech to refer to an outdoor toilet.
Common Phrases:
down the jakes, in the jakes, jakes-house
Etymology:
Derived from the name "Jake," a colloquial term for a man, later associated with toilets.
Examples:
- 1. The old farm had a rickety jakes behind the barn.
- 2. He refused to use the filthy jakes at the campsite.
- 3. In medieval times, a jakes was often just a hole in the ground.
- 4. She laughed when her grandfather called the outhouse a "jakes."