night-stool
Definition
Noun: - A piece of furniture used as a commode: "night-stool" refers to a small, often portable cabinet or chair containing a chamber pot, used as a toilet during the night, typically in a bedroom before the advent of modern indoor plumbing.
Usage Examples
- (A portable toilet cabinet for nighttime use.)
- (A commode piece of furniture.)
- (A decorative commode.)
Advanced Usage
"to use a night-stool": to employ such a piece of furniture for its intended purpose.
- Before indoor plumbing, every household had a night-stool for nighttime needs. (To use a commode.)
"night-stool in a bedroom": a common placement of this item.
- The night-stool was placed discreetly in the corner of the master bedroom. (Positioned for privacy.)
Variants and Related Words
- Night-chair (n): a synonym for night-stool, often used interchangeably.
- The night-chair was emptied each morning by a servant. (A commode chair.)
- Commode (n): a more general term for a piece of furniture containing a chamber pot.
- The commode in the old house was made of mahogany. (A night-stool or similar item.)
Synonyms
- Commode: a piece of furniture with a chamber pot.
- Chamber pot: the container itself, not the furniture.
- Close stool: a historical term for a similar enclosed commode.
Related Idioms
- No direct idioms: "night-stool" is a specific, historical term with no common idiomatic expressions.
Notes
- This word is primarily historical or used in antique contexts. In modern English, "toilet" or "bathroom" is used instead.