loo
1 Americannoun
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loos
plural
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a card game in which forfeits are paid into a pool.
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the forfeit or sum paid into the pool.
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the fact of being looed.
verb (used with object)
noun
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loos
plural
verb (used with or without object)
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loos
plural
noun
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loos
plural
noun
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a gambling card game
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a stake used in this game
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Sometimes we'd work all night without food or a loo break. People were exhausted."
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
"We need to stop flushing crop and tree-growing nutrients down the loo, and start using them to increase our fertiliser security. After all, we're not about to run out of urine any time soon."
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026
Ahead of the sale, Sotheby’s expert David Galperin said the house will install the golden loo in a fourth-floor bathroom within its new Manhattan headquarters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
Unlike a wearable, which is easy enough to leave on your nightstand, the loo is something you can’t forget to use.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025
“You’re down here with Kat and Syd. The three of you have your own loo, which you’re all responsible for keeping clean.”
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Whatever happens, its customers' taps and loos will still function, but the future of Thames Water is a key policy test for the new administration.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The renovation of the men's loos outside Theresa May's office into a more pleasant waiting area for her guests had only just been finished when her time was up.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
"This is exactly the sort of thing we'd love to be known for," says a museum which has picked up an award for its "beautiful" loos.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026
“Have you seen our loos? They’re literally in a wooden shed and they’re cold,” Gyngell told the Telegraph, adding: “Service can be very haphazard and there’s nothing fancy or clever about our food.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 3, 2025
The corridors jam with weary war travelers, and the loos overflow with stink.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
It looed like progress, so I reached out to Marc Mauer over at The Sentencing Project for his take on the reduction in federal prison population.
From Forbes ● Oct. 2, 2014
The player who throws up his cards after the leading card is played, is looed.
From Enquire Within Upon Everything The Great Victorian Domestic Standby by Anonymous
Each player who follows the elder hand must head the trick if he can, or be looed.
From Enquire Within Upon Everything The Great Victorian Domestic Standby by Anonymous
The player who looks at his neighbour's hand, either during the play or when they lie on the table, is looed.
From Enquire Within Upon Everything The Great Victorian Domestic Standby by Anonymous
Therefore, the first question to decide should be the amount per trick in the pool, as compared with the amount to be paid if one is looed.
From Round Games with Cards A Practical Treatise on All the Most Popular Games, with Their Different Variations, and Hints for Their Practice by W. H. Peel
“Giving him the chance to come up here and show what he’s capable of doing on Saturday is also something we’re really looing forward to,” Marmol said.
From Seattle Times ● May 19, 2022
Crappie are fair with jigs looing for structure and brush piles.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 21, 2020
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
