Cousin John

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From John (outhouse; lavatory; chamber pot; toilet). Possibly derived from a "euphemistic phrase of excuse" (e.g., "visiting my cousin John" or "going to cousin John's house"), similar to modern use of "powdering one's nose", but this is unattested.[1]

Noun

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Cousin John (uncountable)

  1. (US, slang, obsolete) A place or device for urination and defecation: an outhouse or chamber pot.
    • 1735, Richard Waldron, "A Freshman Guide", in 1953, William Bentinck-Smith, The Harvard Book, p. 162:
      20. No freshman shall mingo against the College wall or go into the fellows' cuzjohn.
    • 1741, "The Customs of Harvard College", in 1851, John Bartlett, A Collection of College Words and Customs, p. 319:
      18. No Freshman shall call or throw any thing across the College yard, nor go into the Fellow's Cuz-John.*
      *Abbreviated for Cousin John, i.e. a privy.
    • 2001, “Public Privies to Private Baths”, in The Guide to United States Popular Culture, page 645:
      American males often used British terms such as Cousin John or Jake to refer to a privy or a chamber pot.

Synonyms

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References

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  1. ^ Quinion, Michael. "John". World Wide Words. 14 November 1998.