i Register
In some senses, privy is marked as archaic, historical. Watch for register when choosing this word.
privy
/ˈpɹɪvi/
noun 4adj 3
Collocations
4ADJ.
dark
VERB + PRIVY
advised, can't, interrupted, retreated
PRIVY + NOUN
chamber, council, decisions, information, purse, stillness
PREP.
in
Definitions
adj
1
Private, exclusive; not public; one's own.
The king retreated to his privy chamber.
the privy purse
2
Secret, hidden, concealed.
Nonetheless, in the dark and privy stillness of our minds there are few of us who are not still haunted by worrisome doubts.
3
With knowledge of; party to; let in on.
He was privy to the discussions.
William understood Diana more but idealized her less. He was privy to her volatile love life. He knew the tabloids made her life hell, but he also knew she colluded with them.
noun
1
An outdoor facility for urination and defecation, whether open (latrine) or enclosed (outhouse).
2
A lavatory: a room with a toilet.
To counteract these degrading effects he advised that the privy should be in every house the room nearest to heaven, […].
3
A toilet: a fixture used for urination and defecation.
Arconum—I found two chairs wanting in the gentlemen's room, and the bath room attached applied to other purposes... the privies and urinaries clean...
4
A partaker; one having an interest in an action, contract, etc. to which he is not himself a party.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
The king retreated to his privy chamber.
Wiktionary02
the privy purse
Wiktionary03
Nonetheless, in the dark and privy stillness of our minds there are few of us who are not still haunted by worrisome doubts.
Wiktionary04
To counteract these degrading effects he advised that the privy should be in every house the room nearest to heaven, […].
Wiktionary05
Arconum—I found two chairs wanting in the gentlemen's room, and the bath room attached applied to other purposes... the privies and urinaries clean...
Wiktionary06
I'm not privy to their decisions.
Tatoeba · #734421Usage Notes
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