Line #155 Main/GoToTheEuphemism


1	->''"I need to use the little fillies' room."''
2	-->-- '''Rarity''', ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E9SweetAndElite Sweet and Elite]]"
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7	Everybody has to use the bathroom ([[NobodyPoops except when they don't]]), but sometimes "I have to use the bathroom" doesn't exactly cut it in terms of polite conversation. In cases like this, sometimes a euphemism will suffice. Generally speaking, these euphemisms are intended to get the point across in a hilariously creative way, so some of the descriptions can be very unconventional.
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9	Common phrases include "see a man about a horse,"[[note]]Although that can also be used for other embarrassing things like going to buy a drink.[[/note]] "use the little boys/girls room", and "powder my nose".
10
11	Sub-trope of UnusualEuphemism. Contrast CallingYourBathroomBreaks. Compare DeadlyEuphemism, GayEuphemism, and SexualEuphemism. Contrast with INeedToGoIronMyDog. May come as a result of a PottyEmergency or overlap with TechnicalEuphemism. If the character has an accident, then this can devolve into PottyFailure, or, if they were scared, BringMyBrownPants. If no one ''ever'' "goes to the euphemism", then NobodyPoops. Not to be confused with GoshDangItToHeck.
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13	----
14	!!!Examples:
15	[[foldercontrol]]
16
17	[[folder:Advertising]]
18	* The ''[=PooPourri=]'' ads use a bunch of euphemisms for pooping and needing to poop, such as "kiester kangaroo/casserole", "love potion number two" (for needing to poop during a date) and "download a brown load".
19	[[/folder]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22	* In episode 8 of ''Manga/BlendS'', Hideri has a PottyEmergency and says he has to go "pick some flowers." Miu repeatedly corrects Hideri by saying he's going off to "use the restroom," but Hideri doesn't agree, claiming that as an IdolSinger (Hideri's role at the Cosplay Cafe), he doesn't "use the restroom."
23	* Episode 9 of ''Literature/NyarukoCrawlingWithLove'' combines this with body-swap shenanigans: Nyarko, in a boy's body, uses a girl's euphemism ("Sprinkle water on some flowers"), Mahiro, in a girl's body, tells her to just say it straight, and is chided by Nyarko for not having more delicacy now that she's a girl.
24	* In the English dub of the ''Anime/YokaiWatch'' episode "Yo-Kai Fidgephant", when Nate asks Whisper what is going on, he mentions a few eupherisms for going to the bathroom, such as "seeing a man about a horse".
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Comic Books]]
28	* At the Russian culture camp Vera goes to in ''ComicBook/BePrepared'', the outdoor, non-flushing outhouses are called the "Hollywood."
29	* In the graphic novel ''ComicBook/BoxOfficePoison'', when Sherman needs to use the bathroom at work, he tells his co-worker James that he's going to [[LampshadeHanging use the euphemism]].
30	[[/folder]]
31
32	[[folder:Fan Works]]
33	* In ''Fanfic/AngerManagement'', [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse Lynn Loud]] refers to pooping as "making room for breakfast". Not only is this crude, it's biologically incorrect, since newly-swallowed food goes to the stomach, while poop goes out the lower intestine.
34	* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': In "The Cakes," Mittens peevishly puts forth a HurricaneOfEuphemisms for doing a bowel movement in Creator/MontyPython "Dead-parrot-sketch" fashion. Her litter box is located in the laundry room, and Bolt [[ComicallyMissingThePoint misunderstands her initial veiled explanations regarding why she was there]]. Once the dog finally figures things out, he supplies an unusual contribution of his own.
35	* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/17657111/chapters/41640680 The Emperor,]]'' the Doctor needs to pee and says that he has to take care of "a private matter of a biological nature".
36	* In ''Fanfic/PoundAndPumpkinCakesAdventuresAndMisadventuresInPottyTraining'', when [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Pound Cake]] overhears Granny Smith referring to Pumpkin's urine as "gold", he thinks that means her pee is solid.
37	* In [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571900 this]] ''Series/WhiteCollar'' fic, Neal uses [[HurricaneOfEuphemisms several]] with varying results.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
41	* In ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'', the dentist who took Nemo says "I have to see a man about a wallaby" before going to the bathroom.
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
45	* ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'': Zefram Cochrane says he needs to "take a leak". Geordi remarks that there is no leak, to which Cochrane retorts, "Don't you people from the 24th century ever pee?" This also acts as an in-joke on how the display aboard the Enterprise-D [[WritersCannotDoMath only shows one toilet on the entire ship]].
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Jokes]]
49	* In French, there's at least one joke which punchline is based on this trope.
50	--> During a dinner at a classy restaurant, a man who needs to go to the bathroom tells this to his date: "Please excuse me, my dear, but I need to go out and shake hands with a very old friend, whom I hope I can introduce you to later this evening."
51	* There's an old English-language joke that makes use of a potty code word for its punchline.
52	-->A mother and her son go to church and the son says, "Mommy, I have to go pee!"\
53	She replies "You shouldn't say that in church. It's rude and disrespectful. From now on just say you have to whisper."\
54	The next week when the boy's father takes him to church, the boy says, "Daddy, I have to whisper."\
55	The father replies, "Okay, okay -- no problem. Just whisper into my ear."
56	* Another joke based on this:
57	-->An elderly man goes to a doctor's office.\
58	When the receptionist asks him the reason of his visit, he answers "there's an issue with my penis."\
59	The receptionist answers he should rather use an euphemism to not upset the other patients, and suggests "there's an issue with my ear."\
60	The conversation starts again:\
61	"What's the matter, sir?"\
62	"There's an issue with my ear."\
63	"What is the issue?"\
64	"I can't use it to piss!"
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Literature]]
68	* In ''Literature/TheBerenstainBears'', the Bear family refer to Little Lady the dog's droppings as her "calling cards".
69	* ''Literature/CheaperByTheDozen'': Dad and Mother consider [[DisgustingPublicToilet public restrooms so diseased]] that they take the children into the woods to relieve themselves instead. To maintain delicacy, they come up with two euphemisms for it: "visiting Mrs. Murphy" (which is the name of the chapter) and "examining the rear tire."
70	* ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'':
71	** In the first book, Greg says that Fregley has his own "language". When he wants to go to the bathroom, he screams "juice". The kids figured out the meaning behind the word, but the teachers take it literally. The PE teacher gives him a bottle of juice.
72	** In "Hard Luck", Greg refers to [[RoadApples Rebel the dog's poop]] as his "landmines". Also, he refers to a horse pooping as it "unloading".
73	* In the ''Literature/{{Mog}}'' book "Mog's Bad Thing", the eponymous cat pees on Mr. Thomas's chair, yet the narration never outright ''says'' so, referring to it instead as "doing [[AndThatsTerrible a bad thing]]".
74	* In the kids' book ''Penny the Prolific Pooing Cow'', Penny's excrement is referred to as "black gold" once it gets made into fertiliser.
75	* In ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'', one character refers to pooping as "attending to [his] guts".
76	* In the ''Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse'' novel ''[[Literature/FortunesOfWar Battlestations!]]'', the lead character Piper finds that she suddenly and urgently needs to use the head while on the bridge during a tense situation. She asks Spock, who is currently in the captain's chair, "Permission to step updeck?" and is very thankful that he (almost) immediately understands the request.
77	* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', Clan cats use the phrase "making dirt" to refer to relieving themselves; the spot they do this gets called the "dirtplace".
78	* Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/SkeletonCrew:'' In "Here There Be Tygers," the students at the Acorn Street Grammar School like to say "go to the basement" instead of "the bathroom," to avoid embarrassment.[[note]]It's never made quite clear whether the boys' and girls' bathrooms are actually in the school basement or not.[[/note]] Third-grade teacher Miss Bird, however, doesn't care for the euphemism and insists that poor Charles say "bathroom." She humiliates Charles further when she asks if he needs to "urinate." (It's implied that she's sadistic and enjoys humiliating students.)
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
82	* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'': During the "Donkey Day" festivities, one of the money-raising events is a challenge called the "Wonky Donkey"; it requires two characters to spend the day with their legs tied together. Alfie and Amber attempt it together, but the situation is complicated by Amber having drunk a lot of water that morning. She calls her bathroom shots by awkwardly whistling, which Alfie later copies when he has to explain why Amber is no longer tied to him.
83	* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'': Thoroughly spoofed in "Mac And Dennis Move to the Suburbs" when Mac (who is too stupid to understand subtlety) excuses himself with "I have to piss. Out of my penis."
84	* Subverted in an episode of ''Series/MyFamilyAndOtherAnimals'': Gerald's teacher keeps claiming he needs to go and see his mother and Gerald initially thinks that's a euphemism for going to the bathroom, but when he tries saying it himself, it turns out to be literally true.
85	* In ''Series/TheOddCouple1970'' episode "[[Recap/TheOddCouple1970S1E1TheLaundryOrgy The Laundry Orgy]]", Murray gets up in the middle of the poker game, saying that nature is calling. Speed snarks that a man his age shouldn't beat around the bush.
86	* ''{{Series/Seinfeld}}'': George once had a girlfriend who excused herself to "freshen up" after every meal they shared together. He suspected that she was going to the restroom for bulimic purging, but after going to great lengths to discover the truth, it turns out she really ''was'' just freshening up.
87	* In the ''Series/SesameStreet'' episode "Elmo's Potty Time", the Bear family uses "woo-woo" as a euphemism for poop.
88	* A ''Series/TheTwoRonnies'' sketch has Robbie Corbet, as a party guest, attempt to ask his host, Ronnie Barker where the lavatory is, but foiled by the LiteralMinded Barker (the "smallest room" is a utility cupboard, the "little boy's room" is his son's bedroom, and even the bathroom only contains a bath), until he finally shouts "I want to go to the lavatory!" Barker then responds "Ah, sit on a doughnut in Granny's greenhouse."
89	* Played with in the ''Series/WhiteCollar'' episode "Hard Sell"; If you had any doubt as to how criminal Caffrey is, his vernacular breaks the silence thusly:
90	--->'''Neal:''' I'm gonna go rummage through your drawers and steal your most precious belongings.\
91	''[Peter glares disapprovingly]''\
92	'''Neal:''' I'm kidding. I need to go to the bathroom.\
93	'''Peter:''' Upstairs, first door on the left. Put the seat down when you're done.\
94	''[leaves]''
95	** This is immediately followed by Neal [[BathroomSearchExcuse snooping amongst the Burke family photos]], for signs of Peter being [[spoiler: the man with the ring]].
96	--->'''Elizabeth:''' Everything alright?\
97	'''Neal:''' Never been better. ''[points up]''\
98	'''Elizabeth:''' First door on the left.
99	* In a Terry Gilliam segment from ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', a woman excuses herself from a conversation by saying she has to "powder her nose". The camera follows her to the door, and then sits there as we listen to about twelve seconds of horrifying bathroom noises.
100	* On the CBS version of the game show ''Series/DoubleDare1976'', the answer to a specific series of clues was "Toilet." One clue was ''In World War 2 when Allied forces had to use this, they'd say "I'm off to telephone Hitler."''
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Music]]
104	* "Lobachevsky" by Music/TomLehrer contains an obscure one by way of BilingualBonus. ''Izvestya's'' review of his book, which he translates as "It stinks," ''actually'' translates, loosely, to "I must go where even the Czar goes on foot!" [[note]]The Czar is most frequently seen on horseback, and one would just look silly trying to got to the bathroom on horseback. Having to explain it might be a reason ''why'' it's obscure.[[/note]]
105	* Tom T. Hall's "Salute to a Switchblade," talking about being in a bar with a friend while they pick up girls, includes the line, "Later on, I went to be excused." He doesn't have to say exactly where. The listener can guess.
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Theatre]]
109	* This exchange from ''Theatre/WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf'' shows Honey and George using standard code words for the bathroom and what one does there.
110	-->'''Honey''': I wonder if you could show me the...\
111	'''George''': Martha!\
112	'''Nick''': Are you all right?\
113	'''Honey''': Of course, dear. I want to... put some powder on my nose.\
114	'''George''': Martha, won't you show her where we keep the euphemism?
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	[[folder:Video Games]]
118	* In ''VideoGame/ThemeParkWorld'', if the player’s park doesn’t have enough bathrooms for the visitors, [[ExpositionFairy The Advisor]] will tell them, but he’ll only say features, the building category that bathrooms belong to, and then try to drop a couple hints as to which feature he means, using the “powder my nose” and “take a load off” euphemisms.
119	* In ''VideoGame/ZankiZero'', Rinko uses the Japanese euphemism "Pick flowers" when she needs to go.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Webcomics]]
123	* ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'': The Soulthirster excuses [[OtherworldlyAndSexuallyAmbiguous him/herself]] from the [[GodOfEvil Chaos Gods']] [[VillainsOutShopping poker game]] to [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2006-08-04/comic/four-of-a-kind/divinities-must-wash-hands/ "use the little god's room",]] though for what is anyone's guess.
124	* Inverted by Cueball in ''Webcomic/{{Xkcd}}'', as he's trying out "[[UnusualDysphemism Reverse Euphemisms]]". "Dropping the kids off at the pool" means exactly that (it was YMCA night), but he tells everyone he has to "take a shit" instead.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Western Animation]]
128	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In "[[Recap/ArthurS1E8ArthursNewPuppyArthurBouncesBack Arthur's New Puppy]]", D.W. refers to Pal the dog's urine as "excitement" because Arthur mistook his PottyDance for being excited.
129	* ''WesternAnimation/BigMouth'': While Andrew is dealing with an impacted poop due to a psychological inability to use the bathroom for four weeks, Maury lets out a multiple euphemisms to explain the severe consequences of "poop madness". Which also happens to be [[TitleDrop the episode's name]].
130	* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'': Gene says he's so excited that he has to "talk to Uncle Ernie". Moments before, Gene said that "talk to Uncle Ernie" would be a good euphemism for having to poop.
131	* ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'': In "[[Recap/CampLazloS1E2SnakeEyesRacingSlicks Snake Eyes]]", Skip says he needs to go to the "little campers' room" after everybody except Lazlo and Patsy ends up stranded on a tree.
132	* ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken'': "Chicken in the Bathroom" has several examples of potty code words. In the episode, Chicken doesn't want to take a bath and occupies the bathroom in the process. Outside the room, Mom, Dad, and Cow urgently need to use the facilities, with the former two describing their situation with euphemisms such as "I have to squeeze my sponge" or "I need to water the ducks".
133	* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'':
134	** "WesternAnimation/FairlyOddBaby": Jorgen Von Strangle, suffering from gastrointestinal distress after eating food at Cosmo's baby shower, claims he has to "file a report with the Great White Round One"
135	** "[[Recap/TheFairlyOddParentsS7E8FlyBoy Fly Boy]]": Mr. Turner lampshades how "powder my nose" is a ladies' euphemism for using the bathroom. Later in the episode, Mr. Turner announces that he "[[BringMyBrownPants powdered [the] nose in [his] pants.]]"
136	* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': Sheen says he needs to "use the little Crash Survivor's room" after crash landing on Earth with Jimmy and the rest of the gang.
137	* ''WesternAnimation/HalloweenIsGrinchNight'': Euchariah says he needs to "go to the euphemism" after Grandpa Josiah tells him the story of the Grinch. This is the TropeNamer.
138	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'':
139	** In the pilot, Lincoln enters the bathroom while saying "Now, if you'll excuse me -- pressing engagement!"
140	** "[[Recap/TheLoudHouseS4E9LoveBirdsRocketMen Rocket Men]]": Lincoln and Clyde call the bathroom the "little astronaut's room", because they were at a space-themed summer camp.
141	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E9SweetAndElite Sweet and Elite]]", Rarity [[BathroomSearchExcuse lies that she needs to use]] the "little fillies' room" as an excuse to go from one party to another.
142	* The ''WesternAnimation/PunkyBrewster'' episode "Pretty Ugly" is a bit more discreet. Glomer had turned Margaux's face into a glomley face, so Punky impersonates Margaux at a fancy party while trying to talk to Avery Bigelow, the son of home's owner, a magazine publisher. Cherie informs Punky that Margaux found out what happened, so Punky nervously retreats, saying "we have to...uh, powder our noses."
143	-->'''Allen:''' But I don't have to powder my nose!\
144	'''Punky:''' (''Smushing an hors d'uevre on Allen's nose'') ''Now'' you do!
145	* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'': A Franchise/StarWars spoof has Stormtrooper Gary take the helm of the Death Star, because the rightful helmsman needs to void his rectum. Or as he puts it: "I'm sittin' on a cigar here" and "Oop, I'm growing a tail."
146	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'':
147	** "[[Recap/RugratsS7E3DilSaverCookingWithPhilAndLilPieceOfCake Dil Saver]]": Grandma Lulu sees Dil pooping and says that he seems to be "working on a little something".
148	** "[[Recap/RugratsS3E19ChuckiesRedHairSpikeRunsAway Spike Runs Away]]": Didi refers to the escaped gerbils' poop as "presents". The babies [[LiteralMinded think there really are presents]], so they're disappointed when they find out the truth.
149	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "[[Recap/SouthParkS1E6Death Death]]", the parents of South Park protest against ''The Terence and Philip Show'' for its ToiletHumor, but are also suffering from a stomach ailment that is giving them all diarrhea. In a blatant case of HypocriticalHumor, they keep using jokey phrases to describe their diarrhea, like "I just dropped the kids at the pool" and "I just had a brown baby boy."
150	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'': In "Accept the Next Proposition You Hear", Brother Blood's bathroom is marked as the little boy's room.
151	* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'': "[[Recap/WanderOverYonderS1E11TheFancyPartyTheTourist The Fancy Party]]" features a dinner party attended by most of the show's RoguesGallery. When Commander Peepers needs an excuse to talk to Lord Hater, he drags him off to "the little villains' room."
152	* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsWithAndy'': In "Emergency Spew Relish", Andy pretends he has to poop when really it's just a stink bomb. He says, "I have to lay a bomb!"
153	[[/folder]]
154
155	[[folder:Real Life]]
156	* For bonus irony, note that "bathroom" is itself somewhat euphemistic, and may not always be understood by, for example, people for whom English is not their first language.
157	** One can "go to the bathroom", without actually "going to the bathroom". This also works the other way around.
158	** "Bathroom" can even confuse native English speakers if they are unused to the concept of the toilet being in the same room as the bath. Particularly in older houses in the UK, the toilet would be in a separate room (in "the toilet"), and asking to go to "the bathroom" may yield directions from your host to the room that contains a bath/shower and hand sink...but no toilet.
159	* Women's bathrooms, or bathrooms without showers and tubs, are sometimes called "powder rooms". The rooms were named as such, as these rooms were either reserved for powdering hair in the 18th century, or for applying makeup in the early-to-mid 20th century.
160	* The standard American "restroom" can certainly confuse visitors from other English-speaking countries. (Oddly enough, "restroom" wasn't always a euphemism; there really used to be public bathrooms with [[https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-glamorous-sexist-history-of-the-women-s-restroom-lounge rooms]] attached where women could rest on couches, as it was assumed at the time that women were too delicate to spend a whole day out of the house without needing to stop and rest. That's why "restroom" today is used to refer to public facilities, while "bathroom" can be used for a public one or one in somebody's house.)
161	** Said confusion over the word "restroom" surfaces periodically on Website/NotAlwaysRight, as [[https://notalwaysright.com/unable-to-rest-their-local-phrasing/247071 here,]] involving a baffled Icelander whose grasp of American idiom wasn't as strong as he thought it was.
162	* "Water closet" (or just "WC") can confuse Americans who have never heard the term before.
163	* Even "toilet" was originally a euphemism, as the word previously referred to the process of and a room for hairdressing/grooming.
164	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GoToTheEuphemism