the shits
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Diarrhoea.
Register: slang, vulgar
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
"I feel bad we're havin' this nice bonding moment while we both got the shits." "Could be worse. We could be trying to use the toilet simultaneously."
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).
Common questions
What does “the shits” mean?
Diarrhoea.
Is “the shits” formal or informal?
the shits is generally slang, vulgar.