outhouse
/'authaus/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate: A small, separate structure, typically located some distance from a main house or building, used as a toilet. It usually consists of a simple shelter over a pit or container.
Usage
The word "outhouse" is a noun. It refers specifically to an outdoor toilet, not to any other type of small outbuilding (like a shed or storage building) unless the context clearly indicates its use as a toilet. It is a somewhat old-fashioned term, as modern indoor plumbing has largely replaced such structures in many places.
Examples
- Noun:
- The old cabin didn't have indoor plumbing, so we had to use the outhouse at the back of the property.
- Visiting the outhouse at night required carrying a flashlight.
Advanced Usage
- Historical/Regional Context: The term is often used when describing historical settings, rural life, or camping situations where permanent plumbing is unavailable.
- The pioneer museum featured a reconstructed homestead complete with a functional outhouse.
Variants and Related Words
- Privy (noun): A synonym for outhouse; an outdoor toilet.
- Loo (noun, chiefly British): A colloquial term for a toilet or bathroom, but not specifically an outdoor one.
- Latrine (noun): A simple communal toilet, often a trench or pit, especially in a military or camp setting.
Synonyms
- Privy
- Earth closet
- Backhouse (regional)
Antonyms
- Indoor bathroom
- Water closet
- Restroom
Related Phrases/Idioms
- "Outhouse" in Similes: The word is sometimes used in informal similes to emphasize a quality, such as smell or instability.
- That old shed smells like an outhouse. (It smells very bad.)
- His argument was as shaky as an outhouse in a hurricane. (It was very unstable or poorly constructed.)
Noun
- a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate