ENGLISH
REFERENCE

johns

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈdʒɑnz// UK //dʒˈɒnz// johns

n. a slang word for a toilet. It is usually used in the plural form when talking about the bathroom in a house or building.

n. a colloquial designation for a toilet or lavatory facility. Almost exclusively used in the plural form in North American English.


SIMPLE

He went to find the johns at the back of the restaurant.

CONTEXTUAL

The stadium staff spent the morning cleaning the johns before the big game started.

COMPLEX

While the term is increasingly considered dated, you may still hear older residents refer to the public johns located near the park entrance.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Variant of John with genitival or excrescent -s or a variant of Jones.

Etymology 2

From John + -s (plural suffix).

Usage

Almost always used in the plural 'johns' when referring to facilities, though the singular 'john' is also common for the fixture itself.

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