† common house Obs.
1. = common hall 1.
| 1467 Ord. Worcester in Eng. Gilds 372 Yf eny of the xxiiij. or xlviij. discouer the comyn counseille that ys seid in the comyn house. |
2. The House of Commons.
| 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. cclxi. 342 The comyns of the reame were assembled in the comyn hous comonyng and treatyng. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1956/2 The common house was diuided vpon the question. |
3. A place in a monastery where a common fire was kept for the monks to warm themselves at.
| 1593 Rites of Durham (Surtees Soc.) 75 On the right hand, as yow goe out of the Cloysters into the Infirmary was the Commone House..being to this end to have a fyre keapt in yt all wynter, for the Monnckes to cume and warme them at, being allowed no fyre but that onely. |
4. A house of common resort.
| 1595 Locrine ii. ii, Look you be at the common-house tomorrow. |
b. spec. (a) A privy. Cf. commons 5.
| 1596 Harington Metam. Ajax (1814) 51 By digging pits in the earth or placing the common houses over rivers. |
(b) A brothel, stews.
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. i. 43 Their abuses in common houses. |