jakes
2
9.9
- noun
- /dʒeɪks/
- Archaic
:
letrina
- In the past, communities built simple outdoor toilets called jakes to help maintain hygiene.
Examples
-
... for warre a stone wall about the towne, to defend them from outward invasions, and for peace, a goodly Jakes, within the towne to preserve them from inward infection.
Academic text (1997) -
Beginning with the medical assertion that "the smell of a Jakes is good against the plague" (p. 134), the smell of feces is progressively attributed quite a lofty position in the world of the Gods.
Academic text (1997) -
Harington, in his attempt to destigmatize the Jakes, actually traces the French courtesy earlier yet:
Academic text (1997) -
In a reference to hedonistic times, Sir John prescribes: "He that makes his belly his God, I would have him make a Jakes his chapel."
Academic text (1997) -
We find Vespasian, the originator of Jakes (in order to collect urine to sell as dye), saying to his son Titus, who was critical of the endeavor: "Does the money smell of urine?"
Academic text (1997) -
During historic festivals, there were often makeshift jakes set up for the crowd attending the events.
-
The old farm still has a wooden jakes that the family used many years ago before indoor plumbing became common.
Synonyms
33
5.8
A small building near a house that has a simple outdoor toilet
29
9.9
A toilet in informal speech
26
5.8
A simple shared toilet used outdoors or in a camp
12
9.9
A small outdoor toilet in a separate building
7
6.8
A bathroom seat people use to pass waste from their body
3
6.1
A small room with a toilet for people to use
1
9.9
An outdoor toilet often in a small building behind a house
1
9.9
A slang word for a simple outdoor toilet often found at campsites or gas stations
A small outdoor toilet that uses earth to cover waste instead of flushing it
An old outdoor toilet outside a house
A portable toilet with a removable waste container
How Basic
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word jakes was an old name for an outdoor toilet and probably comes from a common name like Jack, used to mean an 'ordinary man'. So, like calling a toilet 'the John' today, jakes became an easy everyday name for the toilet.