big house—
1. (UK) the principal house of an estate; the residence of the squire:
- Cattle sheds were at Thriepland Hill, while the “big house” and some other offices were at Branxton.
2. (U.S. sl.) a prison or federal penitentiary:
- I feel like a criminal who has been in a hideout, been caught, and has to go back to the Big House.
3. (UK hist.) an institution for the poor:
- As long as they kept out of the “big house” (the workhouse) she would not complain.
little house—(euph.) the toilet, especially an outside one:
- A gate led from the first yard into another in which were the pig sty, the hen-house and what they called jocosely “the little house.”