toilet

toilet Definition

toi·let (to̵i′lit)

noun

Obsolete a dressing table
the process of dressing or grooming oneself, esp., of dressing one's hair
toilette; dress; attire; costume
☆
1. a room, shelter, etc. in which to defecate or urinate; specif., a small room with a bowl-shaped porcelain fixture for this purpose
2. such a fixture, usually with a hinged seat and seat cover, having a device for flushing with water or, sometimes, a chemical solution, which is held in an attached tank
the cleaning and dressing of a wound, esp. in surgery

Etymology: MFr toilette, orig., cloth covering used in shaving or hairdressing < OFr toile, cloth: see toil

adjective

toilet Synonyms

Grooming one's person
ablutions, dressing, morning preparations, bath, haircut, shave, shower, hairdressing, applying cosmetics, wash-up*, tidy-up*, make-up*, crumb-up*.
A room for privacy
water closet, lavatory, washroom, restroom, men's room, women's room, powder room, gentlemen's room, ladies' room, comfort station, bathroom, bath, privy, latrine, garderobe, head, amenity, necessarium, little boy's room*, little girl's room*, potty*, W.C.* (British), can*, altar room*, chamber of commerce*, poet's corner*, pot*, john*, throne room*.

toilet Usage Examples

Converse of object

flush: You may be surprised at the number of times your family flush the toilet or wash your hands.
adapt: Adapted toilets off main foyer at Dress Circle level.
shower: Spaciously equipped, direct dial telephone, television, refrigerator, shower, toilet - with the added bonus of British Standard plumbing.
compost: This is repeated in step three, waste disposal, which recommends the construction of a composting toilet.

Adjective modifier

flush: Wider use of simple measures such as low volume flush toilets would quickly reduce water use.
unisex: The first room on the right hand side of the corridor is the unisex toilet with two WC cubicles.
disabled: There is also a disabled toilet in a student flat.
accessible: There is an accessible toilet within the Dance studio.

Modifies a noun

cistern: In particular, I disliked the plastic flowers covered in dust that were everywhere in the house, even round the toilet cistern.
roll: Top tip 4: Toilet rolls make great pillows.
cubicle: The unlit room has two small store rooms at one end with the only toilet cubicle alongside.
seat: Maybe reward the old man for putting the toilet seat down!
facility: The toilet facilities in both rooms have lateral transfer rails.
bowl: The cistern will now lift clear of the toilet bowl.

Noun used with modifier

gents: Not surprisingly, the tall vent from the old gents toilet has disappeared.
downstairs: Lounge, Dining Room, Breakfast Room, Kitchen, large separate utility room, downstairs toilet with shower room.
compost: It is solar powered and has compost toilet and reed bed gray water system.
cassette: Cassette toilet, but equipped for future installation of pump-out waste tank. * Kitchen: High quality oven and gas hob.

Possessives

gent: The bar is housed in the station's original waiting room and the cellar was once the gent's toilet.

Preposition: with

washbasin: Each floor has a separate toilet with a washbasin and a bathroom/toilet.

toilet Quotes

There are passages of Ulysses which can be read only in the toiletöif one wants to extract the full flavour of their content.

—Miller, Henry Valentine

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