# Cess Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 17, 2013, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171 "2013-06-17T11:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/1 "2013-06-17T11:26:22Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/2 "2013-06-17T11:30:47Z")
Nope, no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/3 "2013-06-17T12:06:35Z")
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: [40% of new petrol price reflects taxes | News Archive News,The Indian Express](http://www.indianexpress.com/news/40--of-new-petrol-price-reflects-taxes/872812/) ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/4 "2013-06-17T12:13:01Z")
I’m guessing something to do with stopping? Like cessation? Edit: Nope. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/5 "2013-06-17T12:18:00Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/6 "2013-06-17T12:23:39Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/7 "2013-06-17T12:29:14Z")
Agreeing with sandra\_nz. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/8 "2013-06-17T12:30:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/9 "2013-06-17T12:44:00Z")
Whoops, should I have spoilered my definition? Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/10 "2013-06-17T14:00:22Z")
A spanish footballer? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/11 "2013-06-17T14:19:57Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/12 "2013-06-17T18:13:11Z")
I was wrong. I thought it was dookey. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/13 "2013-06-17T18:20:07Z")
Heh, had to look up dookey (more commonly spelled dookie, apparently). ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/14 "2013-06-18T21:33:04Z")
I know the expression “good riddance to bad cess.” Never construed it to mean luck but I can see how it would fit. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/15 "2013-06-19T08:42:05Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > 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. Huh? 😕 A cesspool, as I have always known the word, literally means a septic tank. Amirite? Amirong? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/16 "2013-06-19T09:16:31Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > 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? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/17 "2013-06-19T10:55:43Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Why does it confuse you so much that I never knew the literal meaning of cesspool? I thought everyone knew that. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/18 "2013-06-19T11:02:55Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > 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!” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/19 "2013-06-19T11:32:59Z")
Chill. Suss out the sitch and we’re good to go. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171/20 "2013-06-19T12:33:57Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > I was wrong. I thought it was dookey. Ha ha, yes, because of this : > [@Senegoid](#): > > Huh? 😕 A cesspool, as I have always known the word, literally means a septic tank. > > Amirite? Amirong? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cess-poll/661171.md?page=2)