Loo
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
loo¹
- /luː/ UK
- /lu/ US
Sounds like Lou, lu, lew, lieu (yod-dropping) · Rhymes with -uː
Where it comes from
Uncertain, although usually derived in some way from Waterloo, the site of Wellington's 1815 victory over Napoleon, likely via a pun based on water closet. Other suggested derivations include corruptions of French l'eau (“water”), lieu (“place”), lieux d'aisances (“'places of convenience': a lavatory”), lieu à l'anglaise (“'English place': a British-style lavatory”), bordalou (“a diminutive chamber pot”) or gardez l'eau (“'mind the water'”), via Scots gardyloo, formerly used in Edinburgh while emptying chamber pots out of windows; the supposed use of "Room 100" as the lavatory in Continental hotels; a popularisation of lew, a regional corruption of lee (“downwind”), in reference to shepherds' privies or the former use of beakheads on that side of the ship for urination and defecation; or a clipped form of the name of the unpopular 19th-century Countess of Lichfield Lady Harriett Georgiana Louisa Hamilton Anson, who was the subject of an 1867 prank whereby her bedroom's name-card was placed on the door to the lavatory, prompting the other guests to begin speaking of "going to Lady Louisa".
noun loos
- A lavatory: a room used for urination and defecation. I suppose it is unreal because we have been expecting it [sc. World War II] for so long now, and have known that it must be got over before we can go on with our lives. Like in the night when you want to go to the loo and it is miles away down a freezing cold passage and yet you know you have to go
- A toilet: a fixture used for urination and defecation. The lack of running water in rural areas often makes Western-style loos hygienic disasters. Suddenly the noncontact squat toilet doesn′t look like such a bad option any more (as long as you roll up your trouser legs).
loo²
- /luː/ UK
- /lu/ US
Sounds like Lou, lu, lew, lieu (yod-dropping) · Rhymes with -uː
Where it comes from
Clipped form of halloo.
interjection 'loo · lo · lowe
- A cry to urge on hunting dogs. Edg. Pilicock sate on pelicocks hill, a lo lo lo.
verb loos · looing · looed
- To urge on with cries of loo or (figuratively) by other shouting or outcry. And therefore next uncouple either Hound [sc. George Monck and Prince Rupert], And loo them at two Hares ere one be found.
loo³
- /luː/ UK
- /lu/ US
Sounds like Lou, lu, lew, lieu (yod-dropping) · Rhymes with -uː
Where it comes from
Clipped form of lanterloo.
noun lu · liew · lue
- Alternative form of lanterloo: the card game.lanterloo And my Intreagues ſo baſhfully diſown / That they may doubted be by few or none, / May kiſs the Cards at Picque, Hombre,—Lu, / And ſo be taught to kiſs the Lady too; [...]
- The penalty paid to the pool in lanterloo for breaking certain rules or failing to take a trick.
- An act that prompts such a penalty.
- A game of lanterloo.
- Any group of people.
verb loos · looing · looed
- To beat in the card game lanterloo. He was seldom indeed without two good trumps, and therefore almost invariably loo'd those who stood.
- To pay a penalty to the pool for breaking certain rules or failing to take a trick in lanterloo.
- To pay any penalty to any community.
loo⁴
- /luː/ UK
- /lu/ US
Sounds like Lou, lu, lew, lieu (yod-dropping) · Rhymes with -uː
Where it comes from
From French loup (“wolf; mask, eyemask”). Doublet of lobo, lupus, and wolf.
noun loos
- A half-mask, particularly (historical) those velvet half-masks fashionable in the 17th century as a means of protecting women's complexion from the sun. Loo Mask. An half Mask.
loo⁵
- /luː/ UK
- /lu/ US
Sounds like Lou, lu, lew, lieu (yod-dropping) · Rhymes with -uː
Where it comes from
From Hindi लू (lū), ultmately from Sanskrit उल्का (ulkā, “flame”).
noun
- A hot dust-bearing wind found in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab. It was a pitchy black night, as stifling as a June night can be, and the loo, the red-hot wind from the westward, was booming among the tinder-dry trees and pretending that the rain was on its heels.
loo⁶
- /luː/ UK
- /lu/ US
Sounds like Lou, lu, lew, lieu (yod-dropping) · Rhymes with -uː
Where it comes from
Clipped form of lieutenant.
noun loos
- A lieutenant. I asked my loo to let me escort you in. I wanted a moment to thank you personally.” “There's no need.” “So you said before, but there is. And was. I'll take you in to Lieutenant Ricchio.”
Loo⁷
Where it comes from
* As a Dutch and north German surname, from loo (“wood, clearing”).
* As a Chinese surname, spelling variant of Lu.
proper noun Loos
- A surname.
