loo

¹

[ loo ]

noun

, plural loos.

1. a card game in which forfeits are paid into a pool.
2. the forfeit or sum paid into the pool.
3. the fact of being looed.

verb (used with object)

, looed, loo·ing.

1. to subject to a forfeit at loo.

loo

²

[ loo ]

noun

, British Informal.

, plural loos.

1. toilet.

loo

³

[ loo ]

verb (used with or without object)

, Chiefly Northern U.S.

plural: looslooed looing

1. low ².

loo

⁴

[ loo ]

noun

plural: looslooed looing

1. Scots. love.

loo

¹

/ luː /

noun

1. a gambling card game
2. a stake used in this game

loo

²

/ luː /

noun

1. an informal word for lavatory

loo

³

/ luː /

verb

1. a variant spelling of lou

Word History and Origins

Origin of loo¹

First recorded in 1665–75; short for lanterloo, from Dutch lanterlu, from French lantur(e)lu, a special use of a meaningless refrain of an old song

Origin of loo²

First recorded in 1935–40; of uncertain origin; perhaps from French lieux (d'aisances) “latrines, toilets,” literally, “places of ease”; perhaps a pun on the place name Waterloo, based on water closet

Word History and Origins

Origin of loo¹

C17: shortened form of lanterloo, via Dutch from French lanterelu, originally a meaningless word from the refrain of a popular song

Origin of loo²

C20: perhaps from French lieux d'aisance water closet

Example Sentences

“One in five people do not leave home as much as they would like to, because of consideration around a lack of public toilets – it’s called the ‘loo leash’.

From BBC

Asking people to pay more for their loo to flush when the service is seen to have failed will be a hard sell.

From BBC

“When I was in the emergency ward, there was no toilet. We couldn’t go to the loo during 14-hour shifts. Even when we were menstruating, we couldn’t use a toilet.”

From BBC

"I promised Simon it would be framed and put in the downstairs loo," she said.

From BBC

His collection includes ornate WC pans and basins covered in floral decoration, huge old cast-iron baths, antique brass taps, polished wooden loo seats, and that potty with the Fuhrer feature.

From BBC