lav

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lav

A child washes their hands at the lav in the bathroom.

Definition

Noun: 1. A room or building containing a toilet or toilets: A basic term for a public or private facility equipped with a toilet. It is an informal, chiefly British abbreviation of "lavatory."

Usage
  • Informal Register: "Lav" is a casual, colloquial word. It is appropriate for informal conversation but not for formal writing.
  • Primarily British: This term is most commonly used in British English. In American English, terms like "bathroom," "restroom," or "john" are more typical.
  • Function: It refers specifically to the room or facility itself, not the fixture (which is a "toilet," "loo," etc.).
Examples
  • "Excuse me, where is the lav?" (Informal request for directions.)
  • "The pub has a lav at the back of the building." (Describing a facility's location.)
  • "I need to pop to the lav." (Informal statement of intent.)
Advanced Usage
  • "The lavs": Often used in the plural to refer to public toilet facilities, especially in venues like pubs, theaters, or stations.
    • Example: "The lavs are down the corridor on your left."
Variants and Related Words
  • Lavatory (n): The full, more formal word from which "lav" is derived. It can sound slightly old-fashioned or technical.
  • Loo (n): Another common British informal synonym for toilet/lavatory.
  • Bog (n): A very informal, slang British term for a toilet.
  • WC (n): An initialism for "Water Closet," a formal term still seen on signs, especially in Europe.
Synonyms
  • Toilet: The most common and neutral term for the fixture and, by extension, the room.
  • Restroom: A common American English term for a public toilet facility.
  • Bathroom: A common American English term, also used in British English for a room containing a bath/shower and toilet.
  • Loo: (British, informal) A very common synonym.
  • Water closet: (Formal/dated) The full term for WC.
Related Phrases/Idioms

Note: "Lav" itself is not typically used in idioms. Idioms more commonly use words like "loo" or "bathroom." - To spend a penny: (British, idiomatic) A euphemism for going to use the toilet/lav. - Example: "Wait for me, I need to spend a penny."

lav

A child washes their hands at the lav in the bathroom.

Noun
  1. a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

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