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Ben vs John - What's the difference?

ben | john |

As an adverb ben

is well.

As a proper noun john is

very popular since the middle ages.

ben

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ben, bene, from (etyl) .

Alternative forms

*

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A prayer; a petition.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) ben, bene, variation of bin, .

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (Scotland, northern England) In, into.
  • * 2008 , (James Kelman), Kieron Smith, Boy , Penguin 2009, p. 32:
    • And he was waving to me to creep in, so I just did and then just to skip ben the front and then in the lobby.

    Adjective

  • Inner, interior.
    • Derived terms
    * ben-end, ben-room

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Scotland, Northern England) Ben-room: The inner room of a two-room hut or shack (as opposed to the but).
    • Derived terms
    * but and ben

    Etymology 3

    Probably representing a North African pronunciation of (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tree, Moringa oleifera or horseradish tree of Arabia and India, which produces oil of ben.
  • The winged seed of the ben tree.
  • The oil of the ben seed.
    • Synonyms
    * (tree) (l), (l), (l)
    Derived terms
    * ben-nut

    Etymology 4

    (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * Ben

    Noun

    (-)
  • (usually, capitalised) Son of (used with Hebrew and Arabic surnames).

    • Etymology 5

    From (etyl) beinn

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A Scottish or Irish mountain or high peak.

    • Anagrams

    * English three-letter words ----

    john

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang) A prostitute's client.
  • * 2004 , Dennis Cooper, The Sluts , page 233
    • In the first part of the video, Thad sucks the john's cock and takes a load in his mouth.
  • * 2013 , McLachlin CJ, Canada (Attorney General) v. Bedford ( 2013 SCC 72), para. 62
    • In-calls, where the john comes to the prostitute’s residence, are prohibited.
  • (slang, US) A lavatory, toilet.
  • (slang) An outhouse privy. Also johnny house.
  • (slang) A name often used as a generic reference to a male of European, North-American, or Australian origin, while travelling in East Asia.
  • A male mule.

    • Synonyms

    * (sense, prostitute's client) see * (toilet) see

    Derived terms

    * port-o-john