gardyloo

gardyloo

(ˈɡɑːdɪˌluː)

n

archaic a warning cry given before throwing dirty water from a window

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gardyloo

- A warning cry derived from French gare de l'eau, "beware of the water"—referring to the water and slops that were once thrown by servants from higher stories of a building onto the street.

See also related terms for servants.

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