call of nature

plural calls of nature

1. euphemisticThe bodily urge to urinate or defecate.

   I came here yesternight for a call of nature and to do what none can do for me[.]

   1885, Richard F. Burton, chapter XXII, in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, volume I, The Burton Club, page 228

   4 more examples

   It appears from the evidence adduced that after the canvass had continued five or six consecutive hours, Mr. FORBES and Mr. DECKER, two inspectors went out (though not in company) as they say in "obedience to a call of nature," and were gone five or ten minutes, leaving the box containing the votes for member of Assembly sealed in the care of one inspector. . . .

   1871 February 1, “The Twombley-Carey Reports”, in New York Times, retrieved 03 Sep 2010

   The case for the prosecution was that at about sun-set on 7-9-1952 Aghona Kachari who is at places described as Aghona Master (a teacher) went out to a place within his compound to attend to the call of nature with a ghoti (water pot) in his hand.

   1956, The All India Reporter, Nagpur, Bombay State: The All India Reporter Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 187, column 1

   . . . the little tree in the big forest of the huge national park behind which Mrs. Marie Dressor retreated from a roadside picnic with her husband and children, to heed a call of nature.

   1966 September 3, William F. Buckley Jr., “Violation Of Privacy Abetted by 'Bugging'”, in Beaver County Times, USA, retrieved 03 Sep 2010

   Cook's concentration may have been broken by a call of nature a few minutes earlier, when he held up play to visit the bathroom.

   2007 December 9, Simon Wilde, “England thankful for cautious Cook”, in Times Online, UK, retrieved 03 Sep 2010

   Synonyms: defecation and Thesaurus:urination