john

john

See also: John

English

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

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɑn/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɒn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

john (plural johns)

1. (slang) A prostitute's client.
   • 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.

2. (slang, US) A device or place to urinate and defecate: now usually a toilet or lavatory, but also (dated) a chamber pot or outhouse.
3. (slang) A generic term for Western men while traveling in East Asia.
4. A male mule.

Synonyms

• (prostitute's client): See Thesaurus:prostitute's client
• (device or place for urination and defecation): See Thesaurus:chamber pot, Thesaurus:toilet, and Thesaurus:bathroom

Derived terms

• johnny house
• port-o-john

Translations

prostitute client

Dutch: hoerenloper (nl) m, prostituant (nl) m French: micheton (fr) m, miché (fr) m German: Freier (de) m

Hungarian: kuncsaft (hu) Swedish: torsk (sv) c

outhouse privy

Dutch: latrine (nl) f Greek: αποχωρητήριο (el) n (apochoritírio) Hungarian: klotyó (hu), budi (hu)

Portuguese: casinha (pt) f Russian: ну́жник (ru) m (núžnik), сорти́р (ru) m (sortír), толчо́к (ru) m (tolčók)

a male mule

References

1. Adams, Cecil. "Why Do We Call It the "John"?" The Straight Dope. 18 October 1985.

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Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• giehn, gohn (Moselle Franconian)
• jonn (Kölsch)

Etymology

From Old High German gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɔːn/

Verb

john (third-person singular present jeht, past tense jeng, past participle jejange)

1. (Ripuarian) to go