freedom of the bathroom
n.— «According to prolific writer Isaac Asimov, when two people share two bathrooms, each has “freedom of the bathroom.” This freedom entails using the resource whenever, for however long, and for whatever purpose one chooses. Unfortunately, when 20 people share those same two bathrooms, freedom of the bathroom disappears. It is a simple metaphor from which he extrapolates the problems of overpopulation-a circumstance he believed would mean the end to democracy, human dignity, convenience and decency.» —“Freedom of the bathroom, environmental crisis and high school theater” by Kerry Litchfield Valley Reporter (Waitsfield, Vermont) Jan. 3, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Katie in Kalamazoo, Michigan, wonders about the expression throw the book at, meaning to “try every means possible.” Did it originally involve literally throwing books? It’s just a metaphor in which the book refers to “the...
In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of...