youngest son of Henry II; King of England from 1199 to 1216; succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Richard I; lost his French possessions; in 1215 John was compelled by the barons to sign the Magna Carta (1167-1216)
"King John, who inherited a fractured kingdom after his brother's crusade and eventually forced to seal the Magna Carta under pressure from rebellious barons, redefined English monarchy."
(New Testament) disciple of Jesus; traditionally said to be the author of the 4th Gospel and three epistles and the book of Revelation
"The church historian noted that early Christians revered John as a devoted disciple of Jesus who was also believed to have written the fourth Gospel."
a prostitute's customer
"The police arrested John after he was caught soliciting for sex on the corner of 5th Street."
the last of the four Gospels in the New Testament
"The author notes that John differs from the other three Gospels by focusing more on Jesus's teachings and miracles rather than his birth."
A prostitute's client.
"John, a fresh cadet just arrived at Sandhurst, struggled to keep up during his first obstacle course."
A new recruit at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
In plain English: A john is an old-fashioned word for a public restroom or bathroom.
"He had to take a quick break to visit the john before leaving for work."
Usage: Avoid using "john" to mean a new recruit at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst unless you are writing specifically about that institution. In everyday conversation, this word is almost exclusively used as a slang term for a toilet or restroom.
A male given name from Hebrew; very popular since the Middle Ages.
"After researching his family tree, Sarah discovered that her great-grandfather's middle name was John, a traditional choice for men born in the 1800s."
Used generically for a man whose actual name may not be known.
"The janitor told john to sweep up the hallway before the guests arrived."
The word "john" comes from the common male given name John, whose widespread popularity led people to use it generically. This usage eventually extended to toilets through nicknames like "John" or "Cousin John," which likely evolved from similar terms used in Britain and Ireland.