What did garde loo mean?

Author: Prof. Josie Crona  |  Last update: Sunday, November 16, 2025

(ˈɡɑːdɪˌluː ) noun. archaic. a warning cry given before throwing dirty water from a window. Those living on the top floor of tenements would dispose of their urine by emptying the container into the street out of an open window, shouting 'Gardyloo!'

What does gardyloo mean in French?

Origin of gardyloo1. 1760–70; Anglicized form of French gare ( de ) l'eau beware of the water.

What is the origin of Gardyloo?

Coming from the French expression, “Prenez garde a l'eau!” - meaning literally 'beware of the water' - gardyloo was the phrase shouted from the upper floors of tenement buildings by residents as they emptied their chamber pots from the windows above.

What does gardez l'eau mean?

This was from the French gardez l'eau, meaning 'mind the water'. However, this expression seems to have become obsolete before the word 'loo' took hold.

Is gardyloo an English word?

Interjection. gardyloo. (Scotland, obsolete) Used by people in medieval Scotland to warn passers-by of waste about to be thrown from a window into the street below. The term was still in use as late as the 1930s and 1940s, when many people had no indoor toilets.

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What is a gardyloo slang?

noun. archaic. a warning cry given before throwing dirty water from a window. Those living on the top floor of tenements would dispose of their urine by emptying the container into the street out of an open window, shouting 'Gardyloo!' to warn anyone below.

What is a Gubbins in British slang?

UK informal. /ˈɡʌb.ɪnz/ uk. /ˈɡʌb.ɪnz/ a collection of objects that are not important: I've just got to clear all this gubbins off my desk before I start working.

What did people yell when emptying chamber pots?

Before throwing the waste out the window, they'd yell “Guardez l'eau!” The term “guardez l'eau” first came to English as “gardy-loo” and then shortened to “loo”, which eventually came to mean the toilet itself.

What does Gardez Bien mean?

Gardez Bien - Means Guard Well – is a motto used by General Montgomery's family.

What is Scottish for toilet?

An taigh-beag. Did you get caught out by the last phrase? You have learnt the Gaelic for a small house is taigh beag and the Gaelic for toilet is taigh-beag and we all know this is adorable. When talking about the toilet in the dative case, it's best practice to lenite the beag.

How do you use gardyloo in a sentence?

-Used in Edinburgh as a warning cry when it was customary to throw slops from the windows into the streets. From French garde à l'eau! look out for the water! Used in a sentence: “Always a courteous lad, Sean was heard to exclaim 'Gardyloo!

What is the meaning of Cattywampus?

(also cattywampus, us/ˌkæt̬.iˈwɑːm.pəs/ uk/ˌkæt.iˈwɒm.pəs/) going badly, awkwardly, or in the wrong direction: The script is spoiled by its catawampus rhythms and its lack of consistency and plausibility.

How do you say toilet in French slang?

Les toilettes, also known in French slang as les chiottes, are most frequently found in a dedicated room called le WC.

How do you say cool in French slang?

French Slang #10: Chouette

Meaning: "Cool" in French slang or "Nice." A way to say what is “cool” in French slang is “chouette” is an endearing way to describe something pleasant or enjoyable.

What does "snickersnee" mean?

Definitions of snickersnee. noun. fighting with knives. synonyms: cut-and-thrust, knife fight.

What do the French call the Irish?

the Irish (people) les Irlandais. Collins Beginner's English-French Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers.

What does Gardez La foi mean?

: keep (the) faith : stay faithful and hopeful.

What does wee wee mean French?

French Translation. pipi. More French words for wee-wee. le pipi noun. pee, wee.

How did medieval people wipe after pooping?

Wiping in the Medieval Times

This included items such as hay, wood shavings, corn cobs, and even iron cables.

Where did pioneers poop?

Some designated “bathroom spaces” outside the village, or behind the bushes, or underneath the trees. Some went out to the riverbanks, letting the excrement get carried away by water—possibly to the dismay of the villagers living downstream. For as long as the settlements were small, those methods worked.

How did people in the 1700s go to the bathroom?

17th and 18th Century Toilets Became Cesspits

During this time, many took to their gardens to create a cesspit where they would bury their waste. Overnight, Night Soil Men would then empty the pits and remove the waste. A few tweaks were made to this design with many then reverting to using privies and outside toilets.

What is a brain fart British slang?

a rude word for a stupid mistake or idea, or for a moment of forgetting something or being confused: When I was cooking, I had a brain fart and burned the pan.

What is a kisser British slang?

the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is British) synonyms: countenance, mug, phiz, physiognomy, smiler, visage.

What is a silly Billy in British slang?

Silly Billy was a type of clown common at fairs in England during the 19th century. They were also common in London as street entertainers, along with the similar clown, Billy Barlow. The act included playing the part of a fool or idiot, impersonating a child and singing comic songs.

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