1. mainly US and Canadian a slang word for lavatory (sense 1)
2. slang, mainly US
a prostitute's client
3. Australian slang short for John Hop
Word origin
C20: special use of the proper name
John in British English
(dʒɒn)
noun
1. New Testament
a.
the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, identified with the author of the fourth Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. Feast day: Dec 27 or Sept 26
b.
the fourth Gospel
c.
any of three epistles (in full The First, Second, and Third Epistles of John)
2. John the Baptist
3.
known as John Lackland. 1167–1216, king of England (1199–1216); son of Henry II. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Richard I, having previously tried to usurp the throne. War with France led to the loss of most of his French possessions. After his refusal to recognize Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury an interdict was imposed on England (1208–14). In 1215 he was compelled by the barons to grant the Magna Carta
4.
called the Fearless. 1371–1419, duke of Burgundy (1404–19). His attempt to control the mad king Charles VI and his murder of the king's brother led to civil war: assassinated
5.
Augustus (Edwin). 1878–1961, British painter, esp of portraits
6.
Barry born 1945, Welsh Rugby Union footballer: halfback for Wales (1966–72) and the British Lions (1968–71)
7.
Sir Elton (Hercules). original name Reginald Dwight. born 1947, British rock pianist, composer, and singer; his hits include "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973) and "Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997), a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales
8.
Gwen, sister of Augustus John. 1876–1939, British painter, working in France: noted esp for her portraits of women
John in American English1
(dʒɑn)
noun
1.
a masculine name: dim. Jack, Johnnie, Johnny; equiv. Fr. Jean, Ger. Hans, Johann, Johannes, Ir. Sean, Shane, Shawn, It. Giovanni, Pol. Jan, Russ. Ivan, Scot. Iain, Ian, Jock, Sp. Juan, Welsh Evan; fem. Jane, Jean, Jeanne, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna
2. Bible
a.
one of the twelve Apostles and one of the four Evangelists, to whom are ascribed the fourth Gospel, the three Letters of John, and the Book of Revelation: his dayis Dec. 27
: also Saint John the Divine
b.
the fourth book of the New Testament
abbrev. Jn
c.
any of the three Letters of John
3. Bible
John the Baptist
Word origin
ME Jon < OFr Johan, Jehan, Jan < ML Johannes < LL(Ec) Joannes < Gr(Ec) Iōannes < Heb yōhānān, contr. < yehōhānān, lit., Yahweh is gracious
John in American English2
(dʒɑn)
1.
(called John Lackland) 1167?-1216; king of England (1199-1216): forced by his barons to sign the Magna Carta: son of Henry II
2.
John III(born John Sobieski) 1624-96; king of Poland (1674-96)
3.
John XXIII(born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli) 1881-1963; pope (1958-63)
4.
Augustus (Edwin)1879-1961; Eng. painter
john in American English
(dʒɑn)
noun Slang
1.
a toilet
2. US; [alsoJ-]
a.
any man, esp. one who is an easy mark
b.
a customer of a prostitute
John in American English
See Foxe
See full dictionary entry for Fox
Examples of 'john' in a sentence
john
The visits to the john lasted I suppose as long as visits to the john do last - know what I mean?
Barnard, Robert DEATH IN PURPLE PROSE
Mr Mackay went to the john once, and once went to get some books.
Barnard, Robert DEATH IN PURPLE PROSE
Word lists with
john
Books of the New Testament, saint
All related terms of 'john'
John I
surnamed Tzimisces . 925–976 ad , Byzantine emperor (969–976): extended Byzantine power into Bulgaria and Syria
John II
called the Good . 1319–64, king of France (1350–64): captured by the English at Poitiers (1356) and forced to sign treaties (1360) surrendering SW France to England
John IV
called the Fortunate . 1604–56, king of Portugal (1640–56). As duke of Braganza he led a revolt against Spanish rule and became king: lost most of Portugal's Asian possessions to the Dutch
John VI
?1769–1826, king of Portugal (1816–26): recognized the independence of Brazil (1825)
St John
island of the Virgin Islands of the U.S.: 20 sq mi (52 sq km); pop. 4,200
blue john
a blue or purple fibrous variety of fluorspar occurring only in Derbyshire : used for vases , etc
John Bull
a personification of England or the English people
John Doe
an unknown or unidentified male or female person
John Dory
a European dory (the fish), Zeus faber , having a deep compressed body, spiny dorsal fins , and massive mobile jaws
John Hop
a police officer
John III
1507–57, king of Portugal (1521–57): his reign saw the expansion of the Portuguese empire overseas but the start of economic decline at home
John Paul
John Paul I (born Albino Luciani ) 1912-78; pope (1978)
John XXII
original name Jacques Duèse. ?1244–1334, pope (1316–34), residing at Avignon ; involved in a long conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV and opposed the Franciscan Spirituals
John Henry
one's signature
John Thomas
the male organ of copulation in higher vertebrates , also used for urine excretion in many mammals
John XXIII
Saint. original name Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli. 1881–1963, pope (1958–63). He promoted ecumenism and world peace and summoned the second Vatican Council (1962–65); canonized in 2014. Feast day: Oct 11 or June 4
Little John
one of Robin Hood's companions , noted for his great size and strength
Saint John
a port in E Canada , at the mouth of the St John River : the largest city in New Brunswick ; very often not abbreviated to 'St'. Pop: 90 762 (2001)
John Hancock
a person's signature
John o'Groats
a village at the northeasternmost tip of the Scottish mainland : considered to be the northernmost point of the mainland of Great Britain although Dunnet Head, slightly to the west , lies further north
Prester John
a legendary Christian priest and king, believed in the Middle Ages to have ruled in the Far East, but identified in the 14th century with the king of Ethiopia
St. John's
seaport & capital of Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada , on the SE coast : pop. 102,000 ( met . area, 174,000)
John Barleycorn
the personification of alcohol , esp of malt spirits
John Chrysostom
Saint . ?345–407 ad , Greek bishop and theologian ; one of the Fathers of the Greek Church, noted for his eloquence . Feast day: Sept 13
John Paul I
original name Albino Luciani. 1912–78, pope (1978) whose brief 33-day reign was characterized by a simpler papal style and anticipated an emphasis on pastoral rather than administrative priorities
John Paul II
Saint . original name Karol Wojtyla. 1920–2005, pope (1978–2005), born in Poland : the first non-Italian to be elected since 1522; canonized in 2014. Feast day: Oct 22
Saint John's
a port in Canada , capital of Newfoundland and Labrador , on the E coast of the Avalon Peninsula . Pop: 122 709 (2001)
John of Gaunt
Duke of Lancaster . 1340–99, son of Edward III: virtual ruler of England during the last years of his father's reign and during Richard II's minority
John of Leyden
original name Jan Bockelson. ?1509–36, Dutch Anabaptist leader . He established a theocracy in Münster (1534) but was tortured to death after the city was recaptured (1535) by its prince bishop
John Q. Public
a typical member of the general public
St. John Perse
(pseud. of Alexis Saint-Léger L éger ) 1887-1975; Fr. diplomat & poet
Dear John letter
a letter from someone (esp to a man) breaking off a love affair
Dear John (letter)
a letter from one's fianc ée or girlfriend breaking off an engagement or love affair , or from one's wife asking for a divorce
John Birch Society
a fanatical right-wing association organized along semisecret lines to fight Communism
John Lewis list
a list used by clerks in the House of Commons to assess the amount that may reasonably be claimed for various items by Members of Parliament as living expenses
John of Austria
called Don John. 1547–78, Spanish general: defeated the Turks at Lepanto (1571)
John of Damascus
Saint. ?675–749 ad , Syrian theologian , who defended the veneration of icons and images against the iconoclasts . Feast day: Dec 4
John of Salisbury
died 1180, English ecclesiastic and scholar ; bishop of Chartres (1176–80). He supported Thomas à Becket against Henry II
John the Baptist
Saint. the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth and the cousin and forerunner of Jesus, whom he baptized . He was beheaded by Herod ( Matthew 14:1–2). Feast day: June 24
Lake Saint John
a lake in Canada , in S Quebec : drained by the Saguenay River. Area: 971 sq km (375 sq miles)
Saint-John Perse
Saint-John ( ˈsɪndʒən ), real name Alexis Saint-Léger . 1887–1975, French poet, born in Guadeloupe . His works include Anabase (1922) and Chronique (1960). Nobel prize for literature 1960
johnboat
a small flat-bottomed boat
John of the Cross
Saint . original name Juan de Yepis y Alvarez . 1542–91, Spanish Carmelite monk , poet, and mystic . He founded the Discalced Carmelites with Saint Teresa (1568). Feast day: Dec 14
Saint John Ambulance
an organization that provides first aid and first-aid training
Saint John's bread
an evergreen leguminous Mediterranean tree, Ceratonia siliqua , with compound leaves and edible pods
Saint John's wort
any of numerous shrubs or herbaceous plants of the temperate genus Hypericum , such as H. perforatum, having yellow flowers and glandular leaves: family Hypericaceae