jerry, n.⁵ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

jerry n.⁵

also jerri

[abbr. SE jereboam, a double magnum of wine]

1. a chamberpot.

1836		‘The Death Of Roger’ in Cockchafer 25: One morning, young Fanny she popp’d out of bed, / And went to the Jerry without any dread.
1859, 1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 65/1: Whose to pay for them ’ere ‘jerri’s.’ I’d like to know. When you want to go upstairs again for a somethink — you’ll have to bring your own pottery along.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) VI 1149: There is no bedstead, only a mattress, a table, and a jerry in the room.
1889		Dead Bird (Sydney) 12 Oct. 6/3: [T]urning to him she said, ‘Get me the jelly’ — some jelly and wine having been ordered as a stimulant. Presently noticing the man had not left the room she said [...] ‘Didn’t I tell you to get me the jelly?’ ‘Yes, and I did get it.’ ‘Well, give it to me.’ [...] And she turned to take the jelly to find the man gravely and blushingly holding out the potter's vessel he had lifted from under the bed. He had mis-heard, and thought she sonnded r’s for l’s .
1938		G. Greene Brighton Rock (1943) 55: He went across to the washstand and opened the little door where the jerry stood.
1941		G. Kersh They Die with Their Boots Clean 112: Where’s your water-jug, Darling [...] Where’s your wardrobe and Jerry?
1955		B. Hill Boss of Britain’s Underworld 38: You got [...] a tin for washing and you had a china jerry for toilet.
1960		‘Nino Culotta’ Cop This Lot 54: An’ no jerries under the beds.
1980		Barltrop & Wolveridge Muvver Tongue 42: In front of women and children it was called the po, the jerry or the chamber.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.
1992		R.G. Barrett White Shoes 199: DD’ll be there [...] Even if it’s only to throw a jerry full of piss over me.

2. a lavatory.

1989

J. Morton Lowspeak.

In phrases

jerry-come-tumble (n.)

a lavatory.

1860

Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn).

jerry-go-nimble (n.) (also go-nimble)

1. diarrhoea.

1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1895		‘Harry on ’Arry’ in Punch 17 Aug. in P. Marks (2006) 24: O it gives me the very go-nimble to hear their contemptible clack!
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 38: Jerry-go-Nimble, the diarrhœa.
1984–5		Maledicta VIII 98: The British through-go-nimble dates from at least 1694 and a modern variant jerry-go-nimble, from the 19th century.

2. a crafty, untrustworthy person.

1880

Henley & Stevenson Deacon Brodie III tab.V iii: You’re solid, you’re a true-born Englishman; you ain’t a Jerry-go-nimble like him.

jerry n.5

In phrases

jerry n.⁵