# re:- Why do outhouse doors have half-moons on them? January 9, 1987

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-why-do-outhouse-doors-have-half-moons-on-them-january-9-1987/594017>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 25, 2011, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-why-do-outhouse-doors-have-half-moons-on-them-january-9-1987/594017 "2011-08-25T08:59:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gaijininja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gaijininja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaijininja)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-why-do-outhouse-doors-have-half-moons-on-them-january-9-1987/594017/1 "2011-08-25T08:59:03Z")

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Dear Cecil. I just wanted to let you and the Teemings know that the expression “Built like a brick \_\_\_\_ house” in Australia dousn’t mean good looking, it means strong, bulky, big, etc. eg, “Wow, that boxer is built like a brick…”

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-why-do-outhouse-doors-have-half-moons-on-them-january-9-1987/594017/2 "2011-08-25T13:01:47Z")

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here’s the column

> **[Why do outhouse doors have half-moons on them?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341747/why-do-outhouse-doors-have-half-moons-on-them)**

i think the idea that it is ‘over built’ applies to both usages of the expression.

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**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-why-do-outhouse-doors-have-half-moons-on-them-january-9-1987/594017/3 "2011-08-28T01:25:57Z")

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Anyway, they are quarter-moons.