Without looking it up, can you define “Cess”? Although I understand what a cesspool is, I had no idea what cess meant when used alone.
Nope, no idea.
It’s commonly used in India to mean a sort of tax on tax - petrol sold in Bangalore, for example, has an “education cess” attached. Not sure if it has some other meaning.
Reference: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/40--of-new-petrol-price-reflects-taxes/872812/
I’m guessing something to do with stopping? Like cessation?
Edit: Nope.
Looks like it has several meanings from what I found online. I knew none of them. I have no idea what a literal cesspool is either. I’ve only ever heard it used figuratively/metaphorically.
are you assuming that the etymology of the word cesspool is cess-pool? My understanding is
In cess-pool, cess is a shortening of cisterne, which is different to the word cess which is something to do with money
Agreeing with sandra_nz.
I knew the expression
Bad cess to thee!
so I knew that cess meant ‘luck’
but I hadn’t known it was specifically an Irish expression until I looked it up. The derivation seems to be a shortened form of “success.”
I don’t think I’ve ever used 3 spoilers in a single post before.
Whoops, should I have spoilered my definition? Sorry!
A spanish footballer?
It id possible that “cess” is not the root word at all:
Perhaps alteration (influenced by pool) of obsolete cesperalle, drainpipe, from Middle English suspiral, vent, from Old French sospirail, breathing hole, from souspirer, to breathe, from Latin susprre, to sigh; see suspire. - American Heritage Dictionary
I was wrong. I thought it was dookey.
Heh, had to look up dookey (more commonly spelled dookie, apparently).
I know the expression “good riddance to bad cess.” Never construed it to mean luck but I can see how it would fit.
Huh? 
A cesspool, as I have always known the word, literally means a septic tank.
Amirite? Amirong?
I just looked it up, and you are right! I have literally never heard it called that. I’ve only ever heard the 2ndary definition “A disgusting or corrupt place.”
Why does it confuse you so much that I never knew the literal meaning of cesspool?
I thought everyone knew that.
Even if you thought that, WHY would I lie about it. Why wouldn’t you think, “oh here’s someone who’s never heard the literal definition of this word. That’s interesting, as I figured everyone knew. Let me help him out and give it to him.” Rather than more like, “MY BRAIN IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. MY WHOLE WORLD-VIEW HAS SHATTERED BECAUSE SOMEONE ON THE INTERNET DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE LITERAL DEFINITION OF CESSPOOL IS! HE MUST BE PULLING MY LEG OR MAKING SOME SORT OF IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND JOKE!”
Chill. Suss out the sitch and we’re good to go.
Ha ha, yes, because of this :