john
See also: John
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From the male given name John (q.v.), whose ubiquity led to extensive use of the name in generic contexts. Its use for toilets derive from John and Cousin John, which both probably relate to jacques and jakes, used in equivalent senses by the British and Irish.[1]
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈdʒɑn/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈdʒɒn/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (UK): (file) - Rhymes: -ɑn, -ɒn
- Rhymes: -ɒŋ
Noun
john (plural johns)
- (slang) A prostitute's client.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:prostitute's client
- 1946, Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, Bernard Wolfe, “Not too Far Tangent”, in Really the Blues, New York, N.Y.: Random House, book 1 (1899–1923: A Nothin’ but a Child), page 22:
- The girls sat there while the johns (customers) moped around giving them the once-over.
- 2004, Dennis Cooper, The Sluts, page 233
- In the first part of the video, Thad sucks the john's cock and takes a load in his mouth.
- 2013, McLachlin CJ, Canada (Attorney General) v. Bedford (2013 SCC 72), para. 62
- In-calls, where the john comes to the prostitute’s residence, are prohibited.
- (slang, US) A device or place to urinate and defecate: now usually a toilet or lavatory, but also (dated) a chamber pot or outhouse.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:chamber pot, Thesaurus:toilet, Thesaurus:bathroom
- (slang) A Western man traveling in East Asia.
- A male mule.
Derived terms
Translations
prostitute client
outhouse privy
a male mule
References
- ^ Adams, Cecil. "Why Do We Call It the "John"?" The Straight Dope. 18 October 1985.
Central Franconian
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old High German gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną.
Pronunciation
Verb
john (third-person singular present jeht, past tense jeng, past participle jejange)
Categories:
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɑn
- Rhymes:English/ɑn/1 syllable
- Rhymes:English/ɒn
- Rhymes:English/ɒn/1 syllable
- Rhymes:English/ɒŋ
- Rhymes:English/ɒŋ/1 syllable
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English slang
- English terms with quotations
- American English
- English dated terms
- en:Male animals
- en:Prostitution
- en:WC
- Central Franconian terms inherited from Old High German
- Central Franconian terms derived from Old High German
- Central Franconian terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Central Franconian terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Central Franconian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Central Franconian lemmas
- Central Franconian verbs
- Ripuarian Franconian