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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.

jakes

/dʒeɪks/ /dʒeɪks/

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."

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