House of Commons
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
Register: humorous, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Right across western Canada, the "house of commons" is the biffey. Now that should tell you something about the way westerners feel about the goings-on in Ottawa.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
a humorous term for the closet of decency.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “House of Commons” mean?
An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
Is “House of Commons” formal or informal?
House of Commons is generally humorous, slang.